Contrasting shapes and materials communicate places to seek comfort and improve personal well-being

MINI Living’s Urban Cabin is making a stop in Brooklyn, New York following a late summer debut at the 2017 London Design Festival. The micro-living concept house is installed in the outdoor courtyard at A/D/O in the Greenpoint neighborhood. The Urban Cabin is scheduled to make more stops at cities around the globe. At each location, a local architect or designer will create additional elements responding to conditions particular to the surrounding region.

New York based architecture firm Bureau V. was selected to design a unique kitchen and experience room. They drew inspiration from the global crisis of forced migration and its relationship to having or seeking a home. The backdrop of New York City as the world’s largest cultural melting pot added a layer of local influence.

Their solution, designed in three days, are additional spaces that aim to offer comfort with a touch of humor. Bureau V’s kitchen and experience room contrast jarring forms with soft amenities like a cushioned cocoon relaxing space. Peter Zuspan, Principal of Bureau V. explained that their approach of offering social commentary, particularly around humor and stress reduction through design is not often explored in architecture.

In addition to its contribution to human well-being and to the lowering of stress levels, humor plays a vital role in the contemporary media landscape, providing a powerful vehicle for cultural and political criticism

The MINI Living Urban Cabin is on view at A/D/O thru November 22, 2017. The installation is free to tour and open to the public.

A/D/O