Parkhill Frisco Participates in the Fifth Annual Bark + Build

We like big mutts, and we cannot lie, which is why Parkhill’s Frisco office participated in AIA Dallas’ and TEXO Association’s fifth annual Bark + Build Design/Build Competition. The competition serves to foster relationships between architecture and contractor firms who work together to innovate and create dog houses and cat condos. Each entry is judged for its design and construction quality and will be up for auction from November 22 through December 8, 2019. The entries will also be on display at NorthPark Centre during that time. All proceeds will benefit the SPCA of Texas. 

Last year’s entry, Fetch’d, was Parkhill’s first time participating in the competition. Our team was able to realize their design for a playful getaway with warm bamboo textures and tennis ball accents with help from our partner firm, CORE Construction, who Parkhill has teamed with many times to complete projects in the DFW area. The design category was Enviro Dog, which emphasized sustainability, particularly in materials, and our team featured recycled materials throughout the design. 

This year, Parkhill teamed with Joeris General Contractors and Alpha Consulting Engineers, Inc. to create the Hygge Hund Hus (Cozy Dog House). The concept for the Hygge Hund Hus borrows from the Danish word Hygge, which embodies coziness, comfort, simplicity, and contentment. “The idea was to do a simple dog house,” said Parkhill architect and designer, Bryan Sumruld. “It’s all-natural with no artificial materials.” 

Following that concept, Bryan and his team designed the dog house without fasteners. Although some fasteners are needed to transport the house safely, the final wood-crafted design fits together like a puzzle. “Similar to an IKEA furniture piece,” said Bryan. “You can ship it, unbox it, and assemble it yourself without tools or fasteners.” The Hygge concept also reinforces our connection between the exterior and the interior. The Hanson Group cut the pieces for the house from natural materials, which creates an enclosure and allows the dog to feel safe, secure, and still connected to their environment. “We also wanted it to be ventilated and open, not like your typical dog house design.” 

The dog featured in the final design photos is Kate “Butterball” Burke, a four-month-old English Bulldog belonging to Tim Burke, one of Parkhill’s construction project managers from the Frisco office. With one modeling job securely under her belt, we are all excited to see what Kate will be doing next. 

Our designers also learned a lot from the experience. “It was great working with the contractors because a lot of times we as designers don’t work directly with contractors,” said Bryan. It was also rewarding to be able to give back to the SPCA of Texas. “We’ve donated time, money, clothes, and more to many great causes, but giving our expertise to a cause we’re passionate about was very special.” 

We look forward to seeing how much the Bark + Build will raise this year, benefiting animals in need in our community.