michael jantzen's sculptural chair shapes tiny house shelter for your head

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

constructed from painted wood with precise dimensions

a gabled house form is hinged to the chair’s backrest

Jantzen’s design explores symbolic uses of architectural forms

two stops hold the structure in a vertical position when not in use

the chair stands 62 inches tall with a compact footprint

the horizontal position is secured with a second set of stops

the house can be easily returned to its upright position

simple mechanical elements drive shifts in spatial perception

project info:

name: the house sitter
designer: Michael Jantzen | @michael.jantzen22