Dalston House — Leandro Erlich
Installation by Leandro Erlich, 2013 · Dalston, London, UK
Photo: Cmglee / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), July 2013 according to the uploader’s description, the same photo as in the Street Art Utopia post. Full photograph shown; resized for display.
In summer 2013 the Barbican commissioned Argentine artist Leandro Erlich to lay the facade of a Victorian terraced house flat on an empty lot in Dalston, with mirrors overhead. Public Art Online, 1 Jul 2013 · Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 Checked Visitors sitting, standing or lying on the facade appeared in the reflection to stand on it, hang from it or climb it. Public Art Online, 1 Jul 2013 · Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 · ShowTex, Jun 2013 Checked It was on show from 26 June to 4 August 2013. Public Art Online, 1 Jul 2013 · Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 · Londonist, 26 Jun 2013 Checked
4 things to know
- A house laid flatResembling a theatre set, the detailed facade of a Victorian terraced house lay horizontally on the ground with mirrors positioned overhead; visitors’ reflections seemed to stand on, hang from or scale the building. Public Art Online, 1 Jul 2013 · ShowTex, Jun 2013 Checked
- A 45-degree mirrorThe mirror hung over the facade at a 45-degree angle. ShowTex supplied the large, lightweight mirrors, and Erlich called installing them “a huge undertaking”. Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 · ShowTex, Jun 2013 Checked
- Houses that once stood hereThe lot at 1–7 Ashwin Street had stood largely vacant since it was bombed in the Second World War, and Erlich designed the facade to recall the houses that previously stood on the block. Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 · Londonist, 26 Jun 2013 · Public Art Online, 1 Jul 2013 Checked
- Part of a festivalDalston House was part of the 2013 London Festival of Architecture and the Barbican’s Beyond Barbican summer programme, presented in association with OTO Projects. Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 · Londonist, 26 Jun 2013 · ShowTex, Jun 2013 Checked
Where it was
- 📍
- A vacant lot at 1–7 Ashwin Street, Dalston, London E8 3DL, near Dalston Junction. Public Art Online, 1 Jul 2013 · Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 Checked
- 🗓️
- Temporary: open free of charge from 26 June to 4 August 2013. Public Art Online, 1 Jul 2013 Checked
Sightings
- 201326 Jun
Opening-day report · Londonist
- 201326 Jun
Opening report · Dezeen
- 20131 Jul
Listing with dates · Public Art Online
- 2013Jul
Photographed by Cmglee
- 20134 Aug
Announced last day of the show
Every stamp links to its source. Amber stamps are reports and listings from the 2013 run. The green stamp is a photograph of the work in place, dated to July 2013 by the uploader’s description (no exact day). The red stamp is the announced last day of the temporary show.
On the record
#dalstonhouse
“The installation of the enormous mirror hanging at an overhead 45 degree angle was definitely a huge undertaking, however, I am very pleased and impressed with ShowTex’s work on site and the final result!”
Leandro Erlich, quoted by the mirror supplier ShowTex.
Dalston House by Leandro Erlich
“As a person walks over the surface of the house, the mirror reflects their image and creates the illusion that they are walking up the walls.”
Amy Frearson, Dezeen, on the day the installation opened.
Topsy-Turvy Terrace: Fun Times at the Barbican’s Dalston House
“Dalston House is both an evocation and remembrance of the houses that once stood on Ashwin Street.”
Sarah Stewart, Londonist.
The facts
- Title
- Dalston House; announced by the Barbican as “Leandro Erlich: Dalston House”. Public Art Online, 1 Jul 2013 · Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 Checked
- Artist
- Leandro Erlich, Argentine artist. Public Art Online, 1 Jul 2013 · Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 · ShowTex, Jun 2013 Checked
- Place
- A vacant lot at 1–7 Ashwin Street, Dalston, London E8 3DL, near Dalston Junction. Public Art Online, 1 Jul 2013 · Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 · Londonist, 26 Jun 2013 Checked
- Size
- A life-size house facade; Dezeen describes it as three storeys, while Londonist’s page summary says two. We lean to three: our photo shows a ground floor with a door and two floors of windows above, and Londonist’s count appears only in its page summary, not in the article. Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 · Londonist, 26 Jun 2013 Conflicting
- Medium
- A reconstructed facade with door, windows and mouldings, under a large lightweight GiantMirror by ShowTex set at 45 degrees. Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 · ShowTex, Jun 2013 Checked
- Commissioner
- The Barbican, in association with OTO Projects; supported by Arts Council England and the Embassy of the Argentine Republic, according to the Barbican text published by Dezeen. Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 · Londonist, 26 Jun 2013 Checked
- Status
- Gone: a temporary installation, on show from 26 June to 4 August 2013. No later sighting found. Public Art Online, 1 Jul 2013 · Dezeen, 26 Jun 2013 Checked
- Our photo
- Cmglee, July 2013 according to the uploader’s description; the file’s date field (12 August 2014) matches its upload, a year after the show closed. CC BY-SA 4.0. Cmglee / Wikimedia Commons Reported
Related
- Buildings That Won’t Behave (10 Photos): the SAU collection with Dalston House
- A Week at the Knees — Alex Chinneck: another house front playing with gravity in London, in the same collection
All sources (6)
Official
- Public Art Online: “Leandro Erlich: Dalston House”, 1 July 2013. Barbican commission; 26 June–4 August 2013; 1–7 Ashwin Street, E8 3DL; facade laid flat under mirrors; free entry.
Press
- Dezeen: “Dalston House by Leandro Erlich”, by Amy Frearson, 26 June 2013. Mirror at 45 degrees; three-storey facade; WWII bomb site; Barbican text with OTO Projects, London Festival of Architecture and funders.
- Londonist: “Topsy-Turvy Terrace: Fun Times at the Barbican’s Dalston House”, by Sarah Stewart, 26 June 2013. Former Second World War bomb site; a remembrance of the houses that once stood on Ashwin Street.
Mirror supplier
- ShowTex: “#dalstonhouse”, June 2013. ShowTex GiantMirrors; Erlich’s quote on the 45-degree mirror; part of Beyond Barbican.
Photos
- Wikimedia Commons: “Cmglee London Dalston House.jpg”, photograph by Cmglee, July 2013 according to the description (uploaded 12 August 2014), CC BY-SA 4.0.
Street Art Utopia
- Street Art Utopia: “Buildings That Won’t Behave (10 Photos)”, 20 October 2026. The SAU post with this work.
Artwork File · Last checked 20 October 2026 · Certainty labels follow How We Verify Art · All Artwork Files