ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes the spatial works of Marcel Duchamp, Edward Kienholz, and Pepon Osorio to unpack notions of inheritance, adaptation, reuse, and social agency sharing common motivations with interior architecture. The spatial/object-oriented process of these artists offers a critical lens for the emerging theoretical discourse surrounding the connected disciplines of interior architecture and adaptive reuse. Duchamp introduced an alternative approximation to what constitutes the realization of interior space and the ambiguous status of architectural elements, where the emphasis is placed in metaphorical and allegorical associations rather than formal or spatial configurations. Osorio often refers to his work as "social architecture," a notion that becomes palpable in his installation Badge of Honor, consisting of two adjacent rooms, each one representing contrasting realities. A fundamental characteristic of Osorio's work lies in his particular background; born and raised in Puerto Rico, he moved to New York City in his early twenties where he trained and practiced as a social worker.
