DOG COOLER

by HIROSHI NAITO for SPITZ

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My beloved dog, Pepe, who the year before last passed away at the ripe age of sixteen, and who spent with me the busiest years of my life, was a dear friend. A handsome Spitz, he was exceedingly proud, but he had a straightforward disposition and was a really good guy. But with that fluffy fur, summer was really tough. Summer in Japan, hot and humid as it is, is the worst climate—for people and dogs. My house was without air conditioning—a rarity today, and for him, it had to be a really tough environment. Even when we did have access to a fan or a cooler, his tongue would loll out of his mouth and he would pant, as if in great discomfort. His favorite summer spot was the ofuro-ba, or bathing area, where he would lower his body temperature by lying on the tile floor. I wish I could have done something more for him. This piece is my tribute to Pepe. If there had been something like this to cool him off, he might have lived more comfortably. By inserting a plastic bag filled with ice into the highly thermally conductive aluminum pipe, you can expect quite the cooling effect. If it was made only of aluminum, I think the dog would slip on it, so it wouldn’t be comfortable. I decided to tuck wood slats in between the metal tubes, to allow the dog’s claws to get a firm hold. Connecting the metal to the wood with rubber hose allows the dog to feel comfortable and relaxed on this cooling contraption, which can be adapted to the layout of your room. I made this architectural plan thinking of Pepe.
ARCHITECT :

HIROSHI NAITO

Architect, Professor emeritus , The University of Tokyo. Born in 1950 in Kanagawa , Japan. Received M.Arch from Graduate School of Waseda University .After working as chief architect at architectural office of Fernand Higueras ( Madrid , Spain , 1976-1978 ) ,
and as staff at Kikutake Architects (Tokyo , Japan , 1979-1981 ) , established Naito Architect & Associates in 1981.

Shimane Arts Center(2005) │ Makino Museum of Plants and People(1999) │ Sea-Folk Museum(1992)

SIZE W1045 x D900 x H560
WEIGHT 20 KG -
DIFFICULTY NORMAL
FAB. TIME 2 DAYS