An exciting new project is taking shape at the Wellesley entrance to the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki as part of the Auckland Triennial. Rikke Luther from the artist collective Learning Site arrived in Auckland from Denmark last week, and along with a highly energetic team of local helpers has been building a prototype earth house in the Gallery foyer. The House of Economy has mushroomed up very quickly due to the hard work of AUT students Anthony Cribb, Laura Marsh and Ceili Murphy and with expert guidance from local earth architecture specialist Graeme North and earth brick maker Tim Hicks.

Made from clay sourced in Kaiwaka, paper, straw, wood and gelatine windows, The House of Economy is fully compostable and over the course of the exhibition will become a fertile mushroom garden. Watch this space to see how the house changes as the mushrooms grow!