It’s easy to look past this jaw-dropping structure. Mirage, an art installation by Doug Aitken, is the internet-breaking house that is near invisible to the glittering city it looks over.
Wooden cladding is so yesterday. If you want your home to really stand out (by blending in stylishly), then mirrored panels may be the new way to go.
Mirage, an art installation by Doug Aitken, stands alone in the desert of Southern California. It embraces the form of a ranch-style suburban home with its predictable silhouette and pointed roof, yet it is anything but basic.
Mirrors cover the entire structure. Picture: Desert X installation view of Doug Aitken, MIRAGE. Photography by Lance Gerber. Courtesy the artist and Desert X
The work is covered from head to toe in reflective mirrors which means it seemingly disappears into the vast and impressive western landscape.
The mirrors both frame and distort the surrounding environments, and it looks equally as striking in the day and night.
The artwork is just as striking at night. Picture: Desert X installation view of Doug Aitken, MIRAGE. Photography by Lance Gerber. Courtesy the artist and Desert X
The structure functions entirely in response to the landscape, rather than inhabitants. On a cloudy day, the Mirage would appear a moody shade of grey and on a sunny day it reflects a brilliant shade of blue.
We can only imagine the sight of the distant city and twinkling stars reflected in the roof come nightfall…
No two days are the same. The artwork changes with the weather. Picture: Desert X installation view of Doug Aitken, MIRAGE. Photography by Lance Gerber. Courtesy the artist and Desert X
We hate to disappoint, but anyone desperate to snap a pic of the Mirage for Instagram will have to go without.
The artwork was but a temporary installation as part of Desert X, a site-specific contemporary art exhibition that takes place in Palm Springs.
Mirrors cover the inside of the building. Picture: Desert X installation view of Doug Aitken, MIRAGE. Photography by Lance Gerber. Courtesy the artist and Desert X
The exhibition is set to reveal new installations in February 2019 when it returns for the second time.
Originally published as Blink and you’ll miss this mirrored desert house by Katie Skelly. Author at realestate.com.au
