Evan Mirapaul, an art collector and former concert violinist, has transformed four ordinary homes in Pittsburgh's Troy Hill neighborhood into immersive, site-specific art installations. Inspired by Naoshima, Japan's art houses, Mirapaul commissioned artists including Thorsten Brinkmann, Robert Kuśmirowski, Lenka Clayton, Phillip Andrew Lewis, and Mark Dion to create entire-house works, such as a Cold War radio hub, a functioning lighthouse, and a natural history-filled home. The project began in 2013 and continues to expand, with Brinkmann's La Hütte Royal set to reopen in October.
This project matters because it redefines how art can be integrated into everyday life, placing ambitious, permanent installations within a residential community rather than a traditional museum or gallery setting. By repurposing abandoned homes and requiring artists to consider long-term conservation, Mirapaul's Troy Hill Art Houses challenge conventional exhibition models and offer a replicable blueprint for community-based, artist-driven public art. The initiative also highlights Pittsburgh as an emerging hub for innovative, non-institutional art experiences.