World-class Architects Design for Dogs at Exhibition to be 'Unleashed' at Japan House London in September 2020

• The internationally acclaimed Architecture for Dogs exhibition will launch at Japan House London on Saturday 19 September 2020
• Japan House London will be the first destination in Europe to exhibit Architecture for Dogs with a physical and virtual experience for guests
• The free exhibition features designs by world-class architects such as Ban Shigeru, Kuma Kengo, Sou Fujimoto and It? Toy?, each capturing the quality of the relationship between dogs and their people.
• A number of exhibits will be available for dogs to interact with, including a roadshow of several designs under consideration.
• Architecture for Dogs allows guests to become architects themselves, encouraging the creation of new designs and offering downloadable blueprints for each of the exhibition's works.
• The exhibition will run from 19 September 2020 for 18 weeks

LONDON, July 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Japan House London today announces it will be the first destination in Europe to host the internationally acclaimed Architecture for Dogs exhibition, set to open to the public on Saturday 19 September. Architecture for Dogs features a collection of 16 architectural designs for different dog breeds including the Beagle, Bichon Frise and Poodle. The exhibition will be available to visit at the Kensington High Street venue, as well as a through virtual experiences such as a 3D Tour, online talks and 'live' guided tours.

With our loyal, four-legged friends proving their value as comforting companions during lockdown more than ever, Architecture for Dogs offers guests a fun and insightful exploration into how it is possible for dogs and their human companions to be at their happiest through interaction with specially designed architectural pieces. The exhibition offers smaller dogs the opportunity to interact with a number of the designs, such as the "Architecture For Long-Bodied Short-Legged Dogs' designed by the world renowned architectural practice Atelier Bow-Wow.

Other exhibits featuring in Architecture for Dogs include:

• A new home for Snoopy?  ? MVRDV presents a playful take on the dog house, with an interactive toy which is at the same time a stimulating environment for the intelligent Beagle breed to enjoy.
• Who's the prettiest of them all? With poodles known for loving their own reflection, Konstantin Grcic has created a fun mirror-led structure for pooches to gaze at themselves
• Candy floss cocoon  ? inspired by the distinct fur of the Bichon Frise, Sejima Kazuyo has created a hideaway where dog and structure blend into one.

Architecture for Dogs was created and directed by Hara Kenya, Nippon Design Center in conjunction with co-founder Imprint- featuring world-class architects and designers including Hara Kenya himself, Ban Shigeru, Kuma Kengo, It? Toy?, Sou Fujimoto and Ma Yang Song.

Japan House London will shortly be announcing a critically acclaimed UK-based architect, commissioned to create a new design, becoming the 16^th exhibit in Architecture for Dogs. During the exhibition, a range of canine-related items from Japan can be found in The Shop at Japan House London.

The exhibition first launched at Design Miami in 2012 and has since received global acclaim touring in Japan [Tokyo, Gallery - MA], China [Shanghai, Himalayas Museum] and Brazil [Japan House São Paulo]. This exhibition at Japan House London will be the first time for it to be seen in Europe.

Japan House London was one of the first cultural institutions in the UK to re-open to the public on Thursday 9 July. Locals and Londoners are welcomed back to explore the Ground Floor, the first space to reopen in accordance with UK Government guidelines, with a newly introduced booking system and raft of safety measures in place.

Hara Kenya, Chief Creative Director for the Japan House project and creator of Architecture for Dogs:

"We are delighted that, at the invitation of Japan House London, we are able to take this exhibition to London. While the architecture is 'for dogs', each of the contributors taking part in this unique project is a first class, world renowned architect. Please come and enjoy this cutting-edge architecture exhibition".

Simon Wright, Director of Programming, Japan House London:

"This exhibition, featuring architecture specially designed for our canine best friends by a pantheon of stellar creative minds, is thoughtful, provocative and delightfully playful. Come and join us, and design with us."

"Architecture for Dogs has always allowed us to see designers and architects as creative problem-solver, story-teller and even empathic futurists," says Julia Y.C. Huang, CEO of Imprint, co-founder of Architecture for Dogs. "In its eighth year of inception, we cannot but think it has a special meaning for it to take place in 2020.  In this time of uncertainty, I can be certain that a visit to Japan House London for this exhibition will bring smiles to your faces."

Notes to Editors:

For more information on Architecture for Dogs visit www.japanhouselondon.uk or https://architecturefordogs.com

To download images of the architecture designs that will be on show please visit our Media Centre https://www.japanhouselondon.uk/media-centre

Sign-up to our newsletter: https://www.japanhouselondon.uk/discover/enewsletter/

Follow us on social media @japanhouseldn

About Japan House London

Japan House London is a cultural centre offering visitors an experience of the best and latest from Japan. Located on London's Kensington High Street, the experience is an authentic encounter with Japan, engaging and surprising even the most knowledgeable guests. Presenting the very best of Japanese art, design, gastronomy, innovation, and technology, it deepens our appreciation of all that Japan has to offer. Part of a global initiative led by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are two other Japan Houses in Los Angeles and São Paulo.

Safety measures [July 2020]

The cultural destination has received Visit Britain's 'We're Good To Go' Standard, to reassure guests that they can visit Japan House London safely, with clear processes in place that adhere to Government and public health guidance.

In addition to a one-way visitor route, Japan House London has installed a raft of new measures to ensure visitor safety, published at www.japanhouselondon.uk/covid

The measures include:

• All staff will be wearing face coverings 
• Hand sanitizer will be provided on entry and exit
• One-way system in place on the Ground Floor
• 2-metre social distancing

How to plan a visit

A visit to Japan House London currently re-quires pre-booking a free entry ticket.  Find out more: www.japanhouselondon.uk/covid

New (temporary) opening hours [July 2020]

Monday-Friday: 11:00-16:00
Saturday: 11:00-18:00
Sunday: 12:00-18:00
Last entry: Monday-Friday: 15:15 and Saturday-Sunday: 17:15