For many people, their first brush with architecture was Barbie’s iconic Dreamhouse – and all the pink, peppy accouterments that comes with it. In honor of the sweet space’s 60th anniversary, Mattel and architecture magazine PIN-UP have partnered to release a new book aptly titled Barbie Dreamhouse: An Architectural Survey. But don’t write this tome off as a surface-level look at America’s favorite dollhouse; this partnership marks the first serious architectural study of the Barbie Dreamhouse.
“Since the first Dreamhouse in 1962, Barbie’s homes have transformed and evolved, richly quoting 20th- and early-21st-century architecture and design history,” describes Felix Burrichter, the book’s co-editor. “Our book documents the impact Barbie has had on the global architectural imagination.”
With interviews from industry stalwarts like interior designer Kelly Wearstler and Smithsonian curator Alexandra Cunningham Cameron, the 152-page book provides a thoughtful criticism of the Barbie Dreamhouse’s place in architectural history.
“With the explosion of Barbiecore and the post-Covid obsession with home décor, this is the perfect moment to consider the Dreamhouse’s cultural impact and legacy,” co-editor Whitney Mallett adds.
Since her debut in 1959, Barbie has been a beloved childhood mainstay because she and her cohort prove that anything is possible – and her home is no exception. As each page moves through the evolution of the Dreamhouse – from midcentury modern bungalows to the post-pandemic fun tower – the book explores how Barbie’s abode can transcend time and trend, perfecting the intersection of function and style.
Photography by Evelyn Pustka.
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