OPEN HOUSE turns checkout counter into modular installation
Designed for the AAPI-owned, artist-run retail and community space Pyperbleu Collective, in Brooklyn, New York, OPEN HOUSE by IntrusiveThoughts Studio reinterprets the conventional checkout counter as a spatial installation organized around the idea of an opened domestic facade. The custom fixture introduces a sequence of small display compartments conceived as interior ‘rooms,’ each presenting objects, merchandise, and curated elements associated with Pyperbleu’s evolving retail environment.
Rather than functioning solely as a transactional surface, the project transforms the point of sale into a layered display structure that encourages movement, browsing, and interaction. Shelving systems, integrated planters, exposed infrastructural details, and rolling casters are incorporated directly into the design, creating an adaptable fixture positioned between furniture, merchandising system, and architectural installation.
The structure is composed of three modular units that can be arranged in multiple configurations depending on the needs of the space. The components operate collectively as a full checkout counter, independently as distributed retail displays, or as a compact fixture for pop-up markets and temporary events. This flexibility responds to Pyperbleu Collective’s changing programming, which includes rotating exhibitions, workshops, and community gatherings.
all images courtesy of IntrusiveThoughts Studio
IntrusiveThoughts merges mobility, display, and domestic facade
Material selection by IntrusiveThoughts Studio’s design team emphasizes durability, mobility, and tactile contrast. Pyperbleu’s signature red tone appears throughout the structure alongside raw and finished wood surfaces, exposing both construction logic and material variation. Functional architectural elements are reinterpreted within the fixture, including downspouts adapted as planters that introduce vegetation and moments of visual interruption within the display system.
OPEN HOUSE was fabricated in-house, with CNC production supported by NYC Resistor, the Brooklyn-based creative hacker collective. The fabrication process allowed the project to remain within budget while maintaining a high level of customization and modular precision.
Through its combination of domestic references, adaptable construction, and integrated display strategies, OPEN HOUSE reflects IntrusiveThoughts Studio’s interest in accessible experimental design for small-scale cultural and retail environments. The project translates the idea of ‘home’ into a spatial retail experience aligned with Pyperbleu Collective’s identity and community-oriented programming in Bushwick.
OPEN HOUSE transforms the checkout counter into a modular retail installation
small display compartments are organized as miniature interior ‘rooms’