Remember those architect-designed cat shelters? Well, man's best friend is finally getting some fancy digs too, courtesy of well-known firms like Zaha Hadid Design and Studio Octopi. The dog shelters will be sold at auction to raise money for Britain's Blue Cross animal charity.
In all, the BowWow Haus London project involves 44 kennels by designers and architects, as well as British celebrities like Ben Fogle, Anne Robinson, and Russell Watson. As usual with these kinds of things, it's a fun exercise and enables firms to show off their design chops for a good cause.
Most humans aren't lucky enough to live in a Zaha Hadid-branded home, but it's a dog's life eh? Cloud, by Zaha Hadid Design, is elevated to protect canine paws from cold floor surfaces. It was constructed from plywood using digital design and fabrication techniques.
Studio Octopi designed the appropriately-named Amphibious Dog House in collaboration with British Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Rebecca Adlington. This one seems best suited to adventurous pooches and was inspired by both Miami lifeguard stations and Adlington's Olympic successes. It includes an integrated diving board, flagpole and a covered area. And it was actually test floated in the River Thames, London.
FT Architects teamed up with British fashion designer Bruce Oldfield to create the Egg, which is definitely aimed toward pampered pups. It took around 100 hours to design and build, and boasts a red velvet padded interior. Its exterior was made from an egg mold left over from an Easter promotion, which was then sprayed with a chrome finish.
The BowWow Haus London installation and auction was created in partnership with US-based Outdoor Arts Foundation, which hosted a similar event back in 2004 in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Visitors to St Pancras International and Stratford International train stations in the UK can see some of the designs in person. Photos of all kennel designs are not yet available, but you can see a small selection in the gallery before heading to the source link below to check out the auction, which runs until April 26.
Source: BowWow Haus London