An Architectural Look Inside The Barbie Dreamhouse

For many of us, our first dream house belonged to Barbie: a Pepto Bismol-pink, idyllic wonderland. Now, Barbie and PIN-UP are doing a deep-dive into all things Barbie Dreamhouse from an architectural perspective.

The 152-page hardcover art book discusses how Barbie’s Dreamhouse “reflects an evolution of design styles and domestic ideals.” The Dreamhouse broke the mold of the traditional dollhouse, with each iteration celebrating Barbie’s independence, while reflecting the trends of each version’s time period, from the 1960s bungalow to present day.

The book includes writing by architecture and design history experts, including Princeton professor Beatriz Colomina, Smithsonian curator Alexandra Cunningham Cameron, and celebrity designers like Kelly Wearstler and Rafael de Cárdenas. Interview Magazine Editor-In-Chief Mel Ottenberg, and DJ and producer Honey Dijon also contributed sections to the book.

Photography for the book was shot by Evelyn Pustka, whose worked with brands like Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton.

“The Dreamhouse is almost as iconic as Barbie herself, with its impact on pop culture spanning generations. It’s been incredible to partner with PIN-UP to craft the first in-depth analysis of the Dreamhouse, from 1962 until today,” Kim Culmone, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Design for Barbie & Fashion Dolls at Mattel told NYLON.

The book not only revisits Barbie’s past addresses, but contextualizes the Dreamhouse as part of the larger trends around architecture in the last six decades.

“Since the first Dreamhouse in 1962, Barbie’s homes have transformed and evolved, richly quoting 20th and early 21st-century architecture and design history,” says co-editor Felix Burrichter. “Our book documents the impact Barbie has had on the global architectural imagination.”

Barbie Dreamhouse will be available exclusively on Mattel Creations starting December 16. There will be 200 books for $75 and 50 collector editions for $125.