Fearful of spoiling their yard with toy clutter and a prefabricated proprietary playhouse, former clients and burgeoning art collectors commissioned a whimsical structure for their four children. With a nod to the over-sized everyday objects of Oldenburg and van Bruggen, the box fort recalls the re-use of discarded boxes by kids everywhere. A “Hecho in Mexico” stamp personalizes and furthers the abstraction of the cardboard box for the owners whom are originally from central Mexico.

The giant upside-down box is perched atop a simple braced wood frame. The lower level serves as a catch-all for ride-on and oversized toys, while the box above, provides a child-sized room within its slatted wood skin. The transparent skin not only provides for natural light and ventilation but also the opportunity to monitor activity within the box by watchful parents.