Untitled (architectural model of a house) c. 1950

This architectural model of a house was made by Robert Burian, using humble materials like cardboard, paper, and glue. The model offers a tantalizing glimpse into the way architects and designers work through ideas in three dimensions. It embodies a series of choices regarding appearance and construction. Look closely and you’ll notice the corrugated cardboard that stands in for the siding of the house, with its horizontal lines suggesting a mass-produced, repeatable element. The model isn’t just a representation of a house, but also of the building industry, and the labor required to make it. The use of rudimentary materials and hand-made construction is a reminder that all buildings begin as ideas, translated into form through a combination of imagination and technical skill. Considering this connection between the design and the realities of industrial production is key to understanding the work, and its place within the history of art.