Melbourne, Australia Design studio Made by Pen (Pen) reintroduces their award-winning product “The Dog Room” with improved, locally-sourced materials and a new partnership with the manufacturing division of Help Enterprises, a social enterprise company focused on providing employment and training opportunities for people with disability.
First marketed in 2016, The Dog Room is a reflection of designer Michael Ong’s desire to provide the beauty of a slow-moving design to an indoor/outdoor living space for man’s best friend. The Dog Room was Pen’s first collaboration with an architect, and it created quite a stir. Awarded silver in the European Product Design Awards, 2017, the product sold out quickly, and there has been consistent pressure for a second run of the kennel.
Rather than simply reissue a popular product, Pen has reworked the parameters of the project to combine excellence in design and manufacturing with a focus on social, economic, and environmental good.
Today, Pen announces the rebirth of The Dog Room. The new Dog Room embodies the same passion for symbiosis of functionality and design that made the original such a success. The company demonstrates a renewed commitment to made in Australia resources and a novel partnership with one of the country’s most revolutionary manufacturing service providers – HELP Enterprises.
HELP is a Queensland based not-for-profit that specialises in providing opportunities for people with disabilities. The manufacturing arm furthers the organisations mission of “Enhancing the Lifestyle and Independence of People with Disability” by bringing their skills to market. Made by Pen is proud to work with HELP, and exceedingly pleased with the quality of workmanship their employees bring to The Dog Room.
The new Dog Room preserves the powder-coated hand-welded frames but unlike the previous iteration of the product, the new Dog Room panels are made entirely from marine-grade plywood, responsibly sourced and manufactured in Australian facilities.
Pen is excited about the new and improved Dog Room. The company prides itself on the putting beautiful design in the hands of discerning customers, and in doing this through an approach which also considers the people and processes. With new The Dog Room, is well resolved, continuing Pen’s belief in delivering pieces which are functional, beautiful and evolved.
The Dog Room will return in three sizes – small, medium and large in 2021. The Medium kennel (their post popular SKU) is released initially retailing at RRP $814 from madebypen.com and selected stockists.
