Although most of the goodies on display at this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair were designed for people, there were a few pet-centric items to be found including killer Doggielounges from FatBoy (the guys behind the ModKat litter box shifted their attention to human toilet designs this year).

 

And then there was the hulking, hard-to-miss Chicken Co-Op from NYC-based architecture firm Raad Studio. I almost walked right into the damned thing while rummaging through my bag for my complimentary drink ticket (it had been a long morning on the trade show floor and I was thirsty, okay?) and it took me a good half a minute to figure out what exactly the giant plywood and acrylic box standing in front of me was. A cabinet? A fish tank? For its grand ICFF debut within the special BKLYN Designs exhibit, the Chicken Co-Op was (mercifully) uninhabited although I kind of wish they had placed some stunt chickens in there and dressed the self-described “luxury chicken residence” up a bit. 

Trade show run-ins aside, I’ve featured a few interesting backyard chicken coop options in the past including the the nogg from the U.K. and this tastefully design henhouse in Portland, Ore. but Raad’s Chicken Co-Op is certainly first cutting-edge, all-inclusive luxury henhouse from a big-name architecture firm that I’ve nearly walked right into.

 

Measuring 46-square feet when assembled, the prefabricated unit ships flat and can apparently be put together in a single afternoon (three days in Matt Hickman time) using basic tools. Once assembled and populated, the tri-level Chicken Co-Op’s pampered tenants will enjoy four separate nestrooms (“spacious, spa-like offices for laying eggs in comfort and privacy”), a combined “scratch and run” area, a mezzanine, and a luxurious “Egg Lounge” on the top level. This "self-contained modernist chicken coop" also boasts a supply/storage area, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a solar powered fan to keep residents cool in the summer months.

The cost of keeping your egg-producing backyard birds in such lavish designer digs? Not surprisingly, it isn’t cheap. The Chicken Co-Op, complete with solar fan, feed/water bowl, and pull-out tray, costs $3,500 while an optional acrylic Summer Panel meant to “provide plenty of breeze as well as a unique aesthetic” will set you back another $400. Here’s hoping your hens can chip in with the mortgage. 

 

More images and info here.