DALLAS, TX – November 22, 2019—CallisonRTKL has designed a dog house digitally fabricated using 3D-printed modules and over 1,000 tennis balls as their entry for this year’s 2019 Bark + Build Pet House Design & Build Competition sponsored by the Dallas Chapter of the AIA and TEXO. Fetch House will be on exhibit at NorthPark Mall in Dallas, Texas from November 21st – December 8th. In addition to the exhibition, the doghouse will be auctioned off with the proceeds benefiting the SPCA of Texas. You can vote and bid online at http://bit.ly/fetchhouse.
3D printing has become an increasingly common practice in architecture design and implementation. Used for everything from creating a single nail to constructing a 25-foot boat, the technology has the potential to disrupt the industry as we know it—all while making custom design and construction more accessible to the everyday consumer.
For this year’s Bark + Build Pet House Design & Build Competition, our team saw the perfect opportunity to test it out.
“We saw the competition as an opportunity to test our ideas and show that a bespoke design could be created and easily made available to the public via desktop 3D printing,” says Brendan O’Grady, vice president in CRTKL’s Dallas office. “At CallisonRTKL, we’re always trying to find ways that technology can aid us in the process of exploring new designs and innovative solutions.”
The design starts with a continuous façade comprised of over 1000+ standard size tennis balls which are then interconnected by a modular support structure 3D printed using lightweight plastic. The balls, which are held in place by compression, can be pulled out so you can play fetch with your dog. After hours of enjoyment, the balls can be reinserted into the doghouse. The cellular nature of the design allows you to remove balls randomly or you can create unique patterns that allow more light or air to filter into the doghouse.
No construction experience is required to build the doghouse. Designed as a simple kit of parts, the modules can be easily snapped together so no special tools are needed. The design also takes mass customization and sustainability into mind and is not a one-size-fits-all-dogs solution. Because it’s a modular system, the doghouse can grow along with your dog by simply adding more modules to expand the size.
“Ultimately, we would like to create a platform that allows individuals to customize the doghouse design based on their specific dog,” says O’Grady. “They can then download the digital model and use a local maker space or their own desktop 3D printer to fabricate the structure.”
About CallisonRTKL
CallisonRTKL is a global architecture, planning and design practice. Over the last 70 years, we have created some of the world’s most memorable and successful environments for developers, retailers, investors, institutions and public entities. Our work has set us apart as the number one retail design firm in the world and a top-five architecture practice across multiple disciplines and sectors. Under the Arcadis umbrella, we continue to expand our sphere of influence and the depth and breadth of our resources. Our team of nearly 1,500 professionals around the world is committed to advancing our clients’ businesses and enhancing quality of life. callisonrtkl.com
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Tracy Schneider
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tracy.schneider@crtkl.com