Asif Khan designs black felt table with nook for dogs to snuggle up inside

Architect Asif Khan has designed a table for pet-owners as part of the Architecture for Dogs exhibition at Japan House London.

Called I See You!, the item of furniture is covered in black felt and has a small dimple in its surface for a dog to sit in.

I See You! has a dog-sized dimple in its surface

Khan conceived of the piece as a hybrid between a table and a carpet. Whereas dogs normally might enjoy curling up on a rug, with I See You they can sit in the middle of the room and be the centre of attention.

The architect settled on black-dyed wool so that if a black dog sits on it they would be disguised, but white markings such as a paw or tail would stand out.

The wool felt is meant to smell interesting to dogs

Khan covered the softly rounded sides of I See You! in felt made from sheep wool, so it is soft to touch and smells interesting to dogs.

"Dogs, like humans, are happy when they can fulfil their desires – adventure, sleep, play, being part of a pack," said Khan.

"This can easily be found in nature, but often harder within today's homes," he added.

"When dogs encounter a scenario in the form of architecture which is designed to stimulate their natural instincts, I think it might make them wag their tails."

A black dog could disappear inside the furniture

Architecture for Dogs is an exhibition at Japan House London from 19 September through to 10 January 2021. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the exhibition is also available online to enjoy virtually.

Khan's piece was commissioned especially for this exhibition, which features designs for canines from other architects including Kengo Kuma, Ban Shigeru and Sou Fujimoto.

I See You is part of the ongoing Architecture for Dogs project

The Architecture for Dogs programme began in 2012 as an open-source resource for crafty pet owners to download and build designs for their pooches drawn up by well-known architects.

Organised by Muji creative director Kenya Hara, the dog-themed collection includes a ramp for dachshunds by Atelier Bow-Wow and a Hollywood-style mirror with lights for poodles by Konstantin Grcic.

In 2015, Founder of architecture studio MAD Ma Yansong added to the project with a set of rugs shaped like juicy steaks.

Photography is by Jeremie Souteyrat.

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