The Common Citizenship of Forms

The Common Citizenship of Forms is a group of seven sculptures built with altered IKEA products. Designed to resemble architectural models, the objects and their arrangement are based on seven buildings at the Michael Reese Hospital campus designed between 1945–1958 by Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus. Beginning in 2009, the City of Chicago has demolished each building represented in this project.

Catalog available

**Michael Reese Hospital Campus, Chicago (date unknown)**

Power Plant

2010 100” H x 36” W x 24” D
Modified IKEA products (laminated MDF, aluminum, hardware).

Power Plant (reference)

1950–1954
Demolished 2009, photo by Grahm Balkany

Laundry Building

2010 20” H x 52” W x 30” D
Modified IKEA products (laminated MDF, steel, paper, hardware), electric motor, microcontroller, electronics.

Laundry Building (reference)

1946–1949
Demolished 2009, photo by Grahm Balkany

Surgical Hospital

2010 36” H x 70” W x 35” D
Modified IKEA products (laminated MDF, paper, LED lights, hardware), programmed microcontroller.

Kaplan Pavilion (reference)

1949–1955
Demolished 2010, photo by Grahm Balkany

Convalescent Home

2010 60”H x 110” W x 24” D
Modified IKEA products (laminated MDF, aluminum, steel, bamboo, paper, carpet, artificial plant, hardware), electric motor, speakers, amplifier, DVD player, 5-channel sound compositions by Annie Goh