Ten bespoke musical dollhouses inhabit a suburban wonderland in this NY installation

An installation in the heart of New York brings together the best of avant-garde design and music practice. Housed in the Shopify storefront in Soho, BGN 11 is a blend of memory and innovation at the heart of which are ten new speakers, hand crafted from original 1930s metal dollhouses.

Housed in an installation designed to evolve a 1950s suburb, this strange mix of tech and surrealism is a collaboration between Canadian design collective Bentgablenit and Teenage Engineering, using the latter’s OD-11 speaker as the core of the ten art object sound machines. The soundscapes occupy a wayward world that amplifies and exaggerates the miniature worlds captured by the original dollhouses, with settings including a living room, chapel and corner store.

Brenda Bent, Karen Gable, and Angelo Nitsopoulos (their names make up ‘bent-gable-nits’) deliberately set out to take TE’s slinky Swedish neo-techno aesthetic into a world of nostalgia, storytelling and craft. Certain elements of the show highlight how these concerns are already present in TE’s work – the W* award-winning Choir for example. Other elements have been drafted in to heighten the nostalgia, from old band t-shirts to bespoke lab coats, along with new merch like mesh bags for the TE OB–4 speaker.

Below we share extracts from an interview with Bentgablenit discussing the project and the nature of their work with TE.

Bentgablenits discuss dollhouses, nostalgia and the world of TE

Why Teenage Engineering? What is it about their design philosophy, approach to technology, and storytelling that resonates with BGN?

Karen Gable: Teenage Engineering is super innovative and we admire their design and innovation and their crazy attention to detail. Which is not only cool-looking but it is about being creative and sharing and appreciating music—and the way anyone can interact with their concept is very inspiring. We aspire to those attributes.

Angelo Nitsopoulos: I think BGN and TE are so opposite but also so very similar. On one hand, BGN is all about embracing the imperfection of handcraft, while TE is sleek and precise. But when it comes down to it, both brands share a deep belief in what we make and how we tell our stories. We both pour our hearts into the products, no matter how unconventional they might seem to some. The connection is in the authenticity—whether it's a speaker or a hand-stitched textile, it’s about creating something with meaning, passion, and a story to tell.

TE: Reflect on the connection between dollhouses and the OD-11. What made this pairing feel natural?

Brenda Bent: We felt we needed to make something to "house" the speaker and the idea that it would be an actual tin house grew out of that. Then we thought about the beginning of "neighbourhoods," suburbia, and the connection to music.

Angelo Nitsopoulos: Well, I think to begin with, it’s always a challenge for us to find something that can be perfectly crafted around something else - especially when that “something” is already a finished product like the OD-11. But the moment we saw the speaker, the proportions - it just made sense. The dollhouse wasn’t a random choice; it felt like a natural home for the speaker. It mirrored what the OD-11 stands for: domestic, design-forward, nostalgic but modern. It was like the speaker belonged there.

Each of the ten dollhouses is named after a famous street - places that hold history, culture, and a connection to music, film, or storytelling. How did you choose these names, and what do they add to the narrative of the project?

Brenda Bent: That was simply a fun aspect of the project - an attempt at making people chuckle and perhaps evoke their own memories.

Angelo Nitsopoulos: In the same breath, we chose some of our favourite streets from our most cherished albums and movie films.

Most speakers are meant to be heard, not seen, yet this piece demands both looking and listening - asking the viewer to peer into the lens while experiencing the sound. Was it important to create a speaker that is as visually engaging as it is functional?

Brenda Bent: Absolutely - and let's face it, Teenage Engineering puts A LOT of emphasis on design, so I don’t think we ever thought that their speakers are meant to not be seen.

Angelo Nitsopoulos: For me, what’s great about this piece is that it’s a conversation starter - it makes you want to look inside, discover more, and then listen. It’s about creating a connection with the viewer, something that pulls them in both visually and sonically.

The choir set is another major component of this project. A choir is about collective voices coming together, just like a home is a collection of experiences. How does the choir set add another layer to the collaboration?

Brenda Bent & Karen Gable: We LOVED making the choir. We both have a very strong love of religious iconolatry. Karen went to a Catholic school and Brenda’s grandmother (whom she spent summers with) was a devout Catholic. I don't think either of us interpret our love of the representation in a religious way, but it’s so profoundly moving - there is definitely something there. And what better way to present a choir than in their own individual churches?

Angelo Nitsopoulos: A choir represents so much more than just voices - it’s a collective energy coming together to create something powerful. And in the same way, a home is a collection of experiences, memories, and people. the idea of putting this choir in their own individual churches is so fitting - it’s like each piece represents a microcosm of community and belonging.

BGN 11, Shopify New York, 131 Greene Street, NY

Friday, June 27, 2025 - 2pm to 7pm / Saturday, June 28, 2025 - 11am to 6pm / Sunday, June 29, 2025 - 11am to 6pm

Bentgablenits.com, @Bentgablenits

Teenage.Engineering, @TeenageEngineering

ShopifyxBGNxTE.com, @Shopify