Luxe Magazine (www.luxesource.com) and the Seattle Design Center invited me to serve as one of the judges for their first annual Barkitecture dog house and garden design competition in Seattle on May 24th. Ten teams composed of architects, interior designers, builders, landscape architects, real estate brokers and project managers were invited to participate in the charity auction to benefit the Seattle Humane Society and Children's PlayGarden. Debby Steiner, the Publisher of Luxe NW, is to be applauded for the hundreds of hours of time she devoted to the success of the event. The design and construction teams produced diverse, creative and skillfully crafted doghouses. The judging was difficult, as each design had its own unique qualities. All were grand champions in their own way. Here are some of my notes of each entry:
A. Tyler Engle Architects' team: a clever two-piece structure on a rail that enabled expansion of the covered space and the opportunity to cool or warm the doghouse from the sun. The interior space could be illuminated with natural daylighting through frosted glass at the far end. Hints of "dogtrot" houses from the SE parts of the US. Team: Tyler Engle Architects, Krekow Jennings – Builder, Dana Hamel – Designer, Ken Philp – Landscape, Decorative Metal Arts, California Closets, Moira Holley - Realtor.
B. AOME Architects' team: their entry was a romantic dog castle, complete with a moat and draw bridge. This dog house was well-built and featured a number of clever details. It would require a small dog with such a small entry, but what a grand entry for a miniature poodle! Team: AOME Architects, Charter Construction, Carl Williams – Designer, Nussbaum Group – Landscape, Seattle Stair & Design, Pental Granite & Marble, Dean Clausen - Realtor.
C. DeForest Architects' team: A contemporary box with a host of operable features. As with several other entries, this doghouse was capped with a green vegetative roof. Their entry is a colorful, adventuresome, and carefully crafted design. Team: DeForest Architects, Roberts Wygal – Builder, Steven Hensel – Designer, R. David Adams – Landscape, Studio C, Stacy Logan Rugs, Connie Blumenthal - Realtor.
D. Demetriou Architects' team: A fanciful and sculptural home for a playful dog. There was a quite a bit of utility built-in to this creation, such as an automatic dog feeding and watering system. The interior lighting was nicely done, as was the green roof and rain water harvesting system. Team: Demetriou Architects, Bender Custom Builders, Barbara Hyde Evans – Designer, Dar Webb – Landscape, Savvy Cabinetry, Michael Folks Showroom, Melanie McCarthy - Realtor.
E. Castanes Architects' team: this entry had quite a bit going on, an expansive butterfly roof for rainwater harvesting and shade, colorful and sculptural walls, a massive live-edge wood platform, and large casters for portability. The single steel column support for the roof was nicely done and seemingly under-appreciated by the hundreds in attendance. Team: Castanes Architects, Odyssey Builders, MusaDesign – Designer, CEM Landscape, Robert Allen/Beacon Hill, William & Wayne, Scott Wasner - Realtor.
F. Graham Baba Architects' team: The entry was similar to Tyler Engle's with two moving elements. With GBA's, the dog house rolled out from under the canopy while the canopy on TEA's rolled on a track away from the stationary dog house. Graham Baba's dog house sported a nicely crafted steel frame with a salvaged lumber roof and side walls. The entire side of the dog house hinged open to form a deck. This was one of the most utilitarian of the entries. Team: Graham Baba Architects, Toth Construction, Graciela Rutkowski – Designer, Berger Partnership – Landscape, Cascade Joinery, Metal Solutions, Schumacher, Chris Doucet - Realtor.
G. Ripple Design Studio's team: This entry took a different approach to the meaning of dog house. This was a creative and carefully crafted indoor dog bed. The screen wall is built of Ipe wood shaped like dog bones with bamboo cabinets on each end to store food, water, and leashes for the small urban dog. Team: Ripple Design Studio, Prestige Custom Builders, Gregory Carmichael – Designer, Brooks Kolb – Landscape, Baker Knapp & Tubbs, Lee Jofa Kravet, Sam Cunningham - Realtor.
H. AKJ Architects' team: This was the other traditional entry. As with AOME's design, there were a number of creative and nicely detailed elements, like the leaded-glass dog bone windows and bone-shaped pillow inside. The lighting was nicely done. Team: AKJ Architects, Peak Builders, Six Walls Interiors – Designer, Ragen & Associates, The Sliding Door Co., Duralee, Melissa Camp - Realtor.
I. Stuart Silk Architects' team: Team Silk designed this dog house for two dogs with two levels. The visually-strong butterfly roof was designed to capture rainwater for the wter dish and an entry water feature. This home featured many of the qualities we seek in our own homes these days: an open floor plan, flexible and adaptable to changing conditions, natural daylighting, and strong visual connections between the interior and exterior spaces. They won a few awards for this entry. Team: Stuart Silk Architects, Bellan Construction, Holly McKinley – Designer, Cambium Landscape, Keller Supply Co., Windows, Doors & More, Carrie DeBuys - Realtor.
J. Balance Associates Architects' team: As with other entries, Balance produced a design with a green roof and operable side panels. The operable doors to their dog house doubled as weather protection and shade for the interior spaces. The Balance team's entry had one entire wall constructed as a gabion of tennis balls. Team: Balance Associates Architects, Logan's Hammer – Builder, Nancy Burfiend – Designer, Scot Eckley Landscape, Yellow Mountain Stoneworks, Chown Hardware, Dennis Paige - Realtor.