RSHP design 'Poochchair' for dog charity auction

RSHP's Simon Tonks has designed a dog kennel for the annual doggy design contest for architects called Barkitecture, held at Goodwood, West Sussex. The brief this year was to design a kennel suitable for the home or office – ‘The Companion Piece – Dogs at Work’.

Simon Tonks’ design, ‘Poochchair’ is inspired by his childhood friend, a wired haired fox terrier, The design takes its clues from the billions of corks that are popped a year, the HMV Nipper painting, wheeled toddler trainers and strollers alike. The Poochchair is 1,000 mm long and 790mm wide and has wheels to allow for movement around the house, garden, pavement, city or place of work.

Simon worked with Richard Nicholls to craft together the frame taken from an old central heating system, metal tyres from old cartwheels, cork-laminate flooring for the ribs, and wheels taken from a well-loved pedal car. Materials used in the design are 100% recycled ‘cradle to cradle and basket to basket’ using recycled cork oak bark sheeting, and donated poochchair and woolly jumper.

Goodwoof takes place at Goodwood, West Sussex on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 May 2023. The 20 shortlisted kennels designed by contemporary architects are auctioned in association with Bonhams and all proceeds from the sale of the kennels will go to Pets as Therapy charity. Online bidding is now live on the Bonhams' website.

Simon Tonks, Associate Partner, RSHP, said “This is a nostalgic nod to my childhood terrier dog, utilising scavenged parts, lovingly refashioned into a cheerful poochchair. A wheelable companion piece made out of bark. Where you go – I go. ”

Ivan Harbour, Senior Design Partner, RSHP, said “With echoes of ‘HMV’, I admire the combination of adaptive re-use and use of sustainable material in Simon’s pun-laden, mobile Poochchair…. definitely best pram in show”.