Andrea Zittel, Living Units

Published in 1996 by the Museum für Gegenwartskunst Basel, this volume documents the early development of Andrea Zittel's 'Living Units.' Zittel, a multidisciplinary artist noted for her inquiry into the intersection of art and daily life, created these modular, mobile living structures to explore how architecture and design influence human behavior. By compressing the essential elements of domestic living—sleeping, cooking, and storage—into compact, customizable cells, she challenged traditional notions of home and private space.

The book serves as a critical survey of Zittel's exploration of minimalism and self-sufficiency. In designing these units, Zittel drew inspiration from both historical precursors of mobile housing and the aesthetic language of modern industrial design. The publication was received as a significant contribution to the discourse on relational aesthetics, highlighting the artist's desire to dissolve the boundary between an artwork and a functional living environment. It captures a pivotal moment in her career as she transitioned from academic study into creating lived-in experiments.