Tyler Engle Architects was invited to enter a dog house competition among 10 northwest architectural firms where we received first place or “Best in Show”. Our design divides the iconic house form into three layers represented by; 1) a sanded Plexiglas volume that provides translucent enclosure, 2) an aluminum structural armature that allows the Plexiglas volume to hover above a burned wood plinth and 3) a third layer of cedar slats on a metal frame that rolls on tracks providing flexible shade for the dog. Inspiration came for the archetypal 19th century “dog trot” houses where one house is divided with a central roofed area providing appreciated shade.

Photography by Isaac Tanner