Touring Andrea Zittel’s A-Z West

Walking through Andrea Zittel’s property, I felt inspired to think about everything around me in a new way again. How an object is used, how things decay (and how that process can be beautiful), as well as how design informs how we navigate through each day. What we surround ourselves with can alter the space available in both our minds and our homes to live the most exciting version of ourselves.

A-Z West Tour | DesignComb

A-Z West Tour | DesignComb

A-Z West Tour | DesignComb

The brevity and unpredictability of life has been on my mind a lot lately. February was a month of loss, change, and terrifying decisions. Ending that turbulent month with a tour of A-Z West, the artist Andrea Zittel’s home and studio felt like the perfect transition to a new month and inspiration for new projects ahead.

A-Z West Tour | DesignComb

We learned that Andrea loves vertical space, as it draws life and energy to it. The perfect example is a hook (aka a ‘vertical accumulator’). An empty hook on a wall begs for coats to be hung, jewelry to be organized, or even old tea bags to accumulate and infuse a room.

Furniture here is multi-functional, accommodating both work and rest. The perfect example is the bench above, ‘bench (after Judd)’, which transforms Andrea’s living room into an ever evolving space, not limited to one activity.

A-Z West | DesignComb

A-Z West | DesignComb

A-Z West | DesignComb

A-Z West | DesignComb

She also hosts a residency on the property for those wanting to be a part of the desert for either a week or two weeks at a time. It’s for (but not limited to) artists, writers, thinkers, hikers, campers, and researchers. It’s a really incredible thing she’s doing, sharing the magic of the desert with others.

As a resident, you will use a composting toilet, a shared kitchen, and become a part of a small community during your stay. I would definitely recommend visiting A-Z West on your next trip to Joshua Tree. You can buy tour tickets here, or apply to stay on the encampment here.

+ Andrea Zittel
+ High Desert Test Sites

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