Kenya Hara, the man behind MUJI’s minimal look-and-feel, recently announced his latest project: Architecture for Dogs. Its name can be taken in the most literal sense because it’s exactly that. Hara commissioned some of the biggest names in Japanese architecture right now to design breed-specific designer dog-houses.
The NYT:
Through the Web site architecturefordogs.com, which goes live this month, dog owners will be able to download free blueprints of each structure, along with directions and how-to-build videos that allow customization. (Hara is quick to point out that the breed specificity was not meant to exclude mutts or larger dogs, but rather to aid the designers by giving them clear parameters.)
Now, we’ve all heard that dogs take after their owners, sometimes even showing up in physical appearance. But does the same phenomenon hold true for the architects and their dog-houses vs human-houses? Let’s take a look (click images to enlarge):
Atelier Bow-Wow’s stacked structure for a dachshund (left) and their “Tread Machiya” (2008)
Torafu Architects’ “Wanmock” (left) for a Jack Russell terrier, and their Koloro Desk (2012)
Kazuyo Sejima’s home for a Bichon Frise (left) and her Serpentine Pavilion (2009)
Shigeru Ban’s Papier Papillon (left) and his paper tube shelter for disaster refugees
Kengo Kuma’s structure for a pug made of interlocking geometric pieces (left) and his Starbucks in Fukuoka (2012)
Sou Fujimoto’s home for a Boston terrier (left), and his House NA (2012)
