The men who make houses explode (all for the sake of art)

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated: 10:35 EDT, 11 October 2011

At first glance, these houses looks like they could have been the victim of a dramatic gas explosion.

But the beat-up homes in Houston, Texas, are in fact an elaborate traffic-stopping work of art using the homes' own wood siding.

Artists Dan Havel and Dean Ruck smashed the interior walls of the homes, before nailing the wooden planking at strange angles to complete their project.

Featuring several horizontal and vertical vortices which appear to 'rip' through the interior of the first house, the designs offer a unique view out of each of the buildings.

Inverted: Fifth Ward Jam was created from a dilapidated old house in Houston, Texas, using timber from the building itself

Vortex: Artists Dan Havel and Dean Ruck created spiral tunnels through the house using the wooden planking

Certainly not wooden: The buildings were gutted, and the wooden slats then nailed into place to create the unique 'exploded' look

The front of the house is designed to act as a stage, but is only meant to be a temporary exhibit.

The artists had earlier created a similar project in the town, entitled Inversion and pictured below, using two bungalows.

Their work looks almost like a black hole, sucking in the outside of the house.

The 2007 piece, commissioned by the Art League of Houston, featured a single horizontal vortex which narrowed to a small hole. It has since been pulled down.

Tunnel vision: Dan Havel and Dean Ruck transformed two bungalows in Houston into their first project, entitled Inversion, in 2007 (pictured)

Board walk: Inversion featured a single horizontal vortex which ended in a small hole through two bungalows

Ground breaking: Mr Havel and Mr Ruck chose the two 1920s homes as they were earmarked for development

Transformation: A little girl enjoys the Inversion project in 2005. The design has now been knocked down