The idea of, and name, “zoid” comes from an on-going geometric study in the architecture practice of LevenBetts, based on a single repeatable shape—a right trapezoid. LevenBetts has realized this shape in art installations in New York, public seating in the Miami Design District, a house in Hudson, NY, and now at Omi. Since zoid's ultimate objective is to be a holistic collective living environment, the study of the architecture is just one component of the whole. Light, the experience of the interior, products and materials are part of the piece. And since affordability will be the ultimate goal of zoid as both a shelter and as a house, the project intends to initiate discussions around socially just space and material production. In the immediate iteration of zoid, the objective is to create a shelter for an arts venue that provides for collectivity and individuality in a dwelling and provides for a basic experience of shelter that engages visually and physically with the landscape and experientially with the other pieces in the collection.

zoid is a pavilion for the Art Omi Architecture Field. zoid is shelter. zoid is cellular, made of a single repeatable shape —a right trapezoid. zoid is the new hearth, a gathering place full of light, not fire. zoid is neither a house nor a campsite: zoid is in between In the face of historic disparities in wealth and access to shelter, zoid posits a way of living based on basic minimum elements needed to live in the world. A proto-proto-type, zoid is conceived around the ideas of minimum existence through design, through nature and through collective engagement with others, not through functional isolation. zoid is inclusive and accessible for everyone. zoid is basic but not devoid of luxury. In zoid you are alone, alone together and together.

David Leven and Stella Betts are architects and artists who have a long tradition working together and separately in the arts. Together they have made spaces for the display of art and have created work for arts exhibitions. They started their New York City based award winning architecture practice, LevenBetts in 1997 and focus on art and design at all scales including urban design, public architecture, houses and housing, commercial workspaces, exhibitions and furniture. LevenBetts is nationally and internationally recognized through publication and awards.