gabled House form frames Conceptual House Sitter Chair
The House Sitter is a functional sculptural chair designed by Michael Jantzen as part of his House as a Metaphor series. Constructed from painted wood, the piece measures 62 inches in height, 23 inches in depth, and 18 inches in width. The chair incorporates an overhead element shaped like an iconic gabled house, hinged to the backrest for adjustable positioning.
When in the upright position, the house form is held vertically by two stops on the chair’s backrest. The user can manually lower the structure into a horizontal position over their head, where it is secured by an additional set of stops. In this configuration, the individual occupies the seat within a partially enclosed volume, visually accessible through two cut-out windows placed on either side of the house-shaped structure’s front face.
all images courtesy of Michael Jantzen
Michael Jantzen’s sculptural interpretation of domestic space
The mechanism allows for reversible movement, enabling the house form to be returned to the upright position when the user chooses to exit the chair. The project is part of artist Michael Jantzen’s broader exploration into the symbolic use of architectural forms. In this series, Jantzen examines the interplay between the archetypal house shape and other objects or systems, using simple mechanical interventions to challenge conventional interpretations of domestic space.
the House Sitter is a sculptural chair by Michael Jantzen
the house element can be raised or lowered manually
when lowered, the house encloses the user’s head and upper body
