In San Diego, a house that laughs at physics (pictures)

LA JOLLA, Calif.--When you look up at the top of the Jacobs Engineering school at the University of California at San Diego, you don't expect to see a New England-style cottage sticking out over the edge.

But since June, that's exactly what you see -- Korean artist Do Ho Suh's "Fallen Star," an art installation that "reflects Suh’s on-going exploration of themes around the idea of home, cultural displacement, the perception of our surroundings, and how one constructs a memory of a space."

Suh's concept was based in part on his feelings of displacement and disorientation upon arriving in the United States from his native Korea. "Fallen Star," which was funded by the Stuart Collection, "has perhaps been picked up by some mysterious force and appears to have landed or crashed onto the seventh floor of Jacobs Hall at the Jacobs School of Engineering" -- much as Suh felt when he landed in the U.S. " The roof garden is part of his design and the whole creates a space with panoramic views for small groups to gather and readjust."

Suh's concept didn't just involve putting the cottage on the roof of the UCSC Engineering School building. The small "home" also sticks out into open space and is titled to one side to further express the sense of displacement and disorientation Suh felt upon arriving in the United States.

A look at "Fallen Star" on top of the the UCSD Engineering School building from a ways away puts the project in better perspective.

A look up at "Fallen Star" from below shows how far the cottage sticks out over the edge.

Looking at the chandelier inside the cottage, it is possible to see just how far off-kilter the small house is.

In this archival photograph, it is possible to see the titled foundation of the "Fallen Star" cottage, which, of course, is up to code.

In this pair of archival photographs, "Fallen Star" is seen being lifted up by crane (left), and then installed on top of the Jacobs Engineering building at UCSD.

"Fallen Star" is seen in reflection in the mirrored windows of the Jacobs Engineering School at UCSD.

In this photograph, it is possible to see how far off-kilter the "Fallen Star" cottage is.

Looking out the window of the cottage, the view of the outside world is tilted significantly to the right.

A look at the tilted interior of artist Do Ho Suh's "Fallen Star," a project meant to convey Suh's sense of disorientation and displacement upon arriving in the United States from Korea, yet also his love of home.

Looking at the welcome mat outside the cottage shows how tilted the building is.

A look up at "Fallen Star" from the ground seven stories below.

Hoisted by crane, "Fallen Star" is lifted to the top of the engineering school building, where it was placed on top of its foundation.

A small drawing by Suh that is found inside the cottage reflects his notion of a home flying away.

The tilted nature of the project means that when you're standing inside it you instantly feel extremely disoriented and can even experience motion sickness, or mild vertigo, while standing still.

A look straight up at the bottom of "Fallen Star."