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Architecture’s gone to the dogs -
Architecture’s gone to the dogs -
Architecture’s gone to the dogs -
Architecture’s gone to the dogs -
Architecture’s gone to the dogs -
Architecture’s gone to the dogs -
Architecture’s gone to the dogs -
Architecture’s gone to the dogs -
Architecture’s gone to the dogs -
Architecture’s gone to the dogs -
Architecture’s gone to the dogs -
Architecture’s gone to the dogs -
Architecture’s gone to the dogs -
Architecture’s gone to the dogs
WORDS Debbie Loots
Designers are barking up a new tree and the result is a contemporary oeuvre of abodes for dogs. From Japan to Mexico, here’s some of our favourite kennels for your darling mutt.
If your idea of a doghouse is dead set on a small, medium or large (or extra large for those Great Danes) square wooden kennel, look further and be surprised!
New interpretations of kennels are popping up everywhere thanks to Kenya Hara, the art director of Japanese retailer Muji. He is the brainchild of Architecture for Dogs, which forms part of a concept to bring architectural design into our everyday lives, as well as challenge conventional thinking about the way we live in our spaces.
Kenya enlisted 12 top architects last year and tasked them with the design of 12 interactive homes for dogs, the focus being on reinterpreting the way humans relate to their pets. He teamed each architect with a specific breed of dog, but was quick to add that similar looks between the human and animal had nothing to do with his matching decisions! (We’re not convinced by his protestations – watch the video below and tell us if you agree!) The designs of each of these creations are open-source and can be downloaded from the Architecture for Dogs website – so how about some DIY this weekend?
Kenya’s doghouse architecture inspired an exhibition in Mexico, Dogchitecture, in which ten Mexican companies reinterpreted the kennel, resulting in some jaw-dropping, imaginative home spaces for our best furry friend.
In a similar vein, but not quite as indulgent as a poufy playful home imitating the fur of a fluffy Bichon Frise, is the doghouse sofa by Korean designer Seungji Mun. With the pooch’s pad set snugly in the armrest of a lounge sofa, Seungji’s idea was informed by home spaces becoming increasingly smaller and shared with pets. The sofa is made of solid ash and the cushions are covered in hardy canvas.
So be inspired, throw out that unsightly old doggie shack and let your home design ideas loose on your dog!
Want to know how much VISI loves dogs? Check out our other articles about design for dogs.
