Over the last few weeks Ethan Schlussler has been working on a beautifully designed 30-foot-high treehouse and quickly became tired of “climbing a ladder six and a half million times a day,” so he decided to build a human-powered elevator out of an old bicycle. At first I was expecting something pretty tedious to pedal in order to lift the weight of a full-grown man, yet as soon as he starts pedaling in the video it seems to work almost like magic. It really is a clever idea.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now!