Art Omi: Architecture Unveils Trapezoid Shelter For Holistic Living

On view starting July 14 until September 30, 2020, Art Omi presents Zoid, a minimal, geometric shelter that challenges preconceived notions of housing.

Zoid is both a stripped down shelter and a ‘proto-proto-type’ for an affordable house. Rendering courtesy of Art Omi.

Art Omi, a not-for-profit arts organization in Ghent, New York, recently unveiled plans for a new two-year installation as part of their Architecture program, Art Omi: Architecture. The asymmetrical shelter, made of volumetric right trapezoids, can be entered from six different sides which lead to an open courtyard, resembling something between a campsite and an experimental house.

According to their press release, Zoid is “both a stripped down shelter and a ‘proto-proto-type’ for an affordable house,” designed to prioritize both human and nature-based interactions. The geometrical structure is the brainchild of New York City-based architecture firm, LevenBetts, led by artist-architect duo David Leven and Stella Betts, whose portfolio includes design work for Princeton, Cornell, and the Brooklyn Heights Interim Library.

The objective for the shelter is centered around both habitability and affordability. It reexamines the necessary elements of living with its pared down, geometric form, and posits architecture as just “one component of the whole.” The contained, central interior space—with six entry points—can allow for the flow of human activity, while maintaining direct access with the outside.

Art Omi: Architecture’s ‘Zoid’, designed by artist-architect duo David Leven and Stella Betts

“Light, the experience of the interior, a reductive approach to furniture and materials are also part of the piece,” states the release. Upon its launch, Zoid will be located on The Fields, which features a series of sculptural architectural objects and structures stretching over 60 acres, and open to the public year-round.

If you’re planning a visit to check out Zoid or any of Art Omi’s artworks, be sure to wear comfortable shoes and plan at least one hour to peruse the entire grounds—there are no paved walking paths on the site and some sculptures are located in the woods.

For more information, check out their website here. Zoid will be on-view from July 14 to September 30, 2020.

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