nick gelpi constructs an 'inhabitable painting' for markus linnenbrink's striped mural

inside wasserman projects art space in detroit, architect nick gelpi has realized an ‘inhabitable painting’ for an immersive, stripey mural by artist markus linnenbrink. ‘house paint pavilion’ has been designed to allow visitors to both peer into and walk inside it, blurring the lines between the structure and the artwork displayed within its interior walls. modular variations and shifts in the framework of the architectural forms interact with linnenbrink’s painting — sometimes fitting tightly, other times appearing out of place.

gelpi has mapped linnenbrink’s painting onto digitally fabricated panels, siting the mural on the inside of the movable pavilion, while reflecting the artwork on its façade as a series of engraved lines. these engravings sometimes mimic the textural qualities of typical exterior siding, while other times morph into meandering lines that interrupt the grain of the pavilion’s folds.

designed to be opened up along a central split, the structure’s interior reveals vibrantly colored stripes typical to linnenbrink’s distinct style that run across the walls, ceilings, and floor. the painting, called ‘thefirstoneiscrazythesecondoneisnuts’, turns the ‘house paint pavilion’ into a 3-dimensional walk-all-over work of art.

project info:

design collaboration: nick gelpi, markus linnenbrink
from gelpi projects, design team: dean mcmurry, alvaro membreno, maria flores
engineering: alex merlano, homestead florida
steel fabrication: derek thompson, michigan
CNC fabrication: marc vliestra, allrout, inc.