Architecture for animals leads the way at this school for dogs
Details are designed with dogs in mind at Spain’s Educan School for Dogs, Humans and Other Species

Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Thank you for signing up to Wallpaper. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Humans and dogs harmoniously co-exist at the Educan School for Dogs, Humans and Other Species, an example of animal architecture in a rural setting west of Madrid, Spain. The space, which is used to train dogs and is designed to encourage wildlife, aims to help restore the natural order of the local ecosystem, which the architects feel has been lost amid recent advances in urban development and an agriculture heavily reliant on pesticides.
Spanish architects Enrique Espinosa and Lys Villalba are the brains behind the project. They consider the changing nature of agricultural buildings – and how they could become more innovative – in their approach to the school, which aims to be ecological, following principles of sustainable architecture, through its use of materials and design.
Animal architecture, for dogs, birds, bats and more
The building puts animals, not humans, at the centre of a design that considers all aspects from an animal’s point of view. Floors are designed to be trodden by paws, not shoes, with a dog’s sensitive pads accounted for. In the two main classrooms, dogs and humans play games or develop their sporting prowess on soft, removable rolls of synthetic turf. In the theory classrooms, river pebbles become a semi-polished, exposed-aggregate concrete finish for a smooth, tactile experience.
The approach to materials keeps waste reduction in mind, with shipping containers offering shelter to animals, and metal off-cuts used to mould the concrete. Industrial metal sheet panels are a standardised size to ensure no wasteful remains, while automated air conditioning and manual control elements – such as the blinds and shutters – ensure the day-to-day running of the school is as energy efficient as possible.
It is an awareness carried through to animal-friendly, thoughtful details. Eye heights drop to an average viewpoint of half a metre. Openings are raised to discourage dogs from leaving or being distracted, and window shutters are arranged to offer shade to dogs passing below. Sound-absorbing pyramid-shaped foam insulation reduces the noise of barks, doggy discourses and echoes inside, making for a more harmonious atmosphere.
This example of animal architecture caters not only to dogs; other creatures, such as birds and bats, make themselves at home in the environment, thus contributing to the restoration of the local ecosystem. Rainwater from the roof is collected in large troughs for birds and dogs, while birds including owls and kestrels make their homes in the ‘nest façade’ of the upper floor. Sparrows favour the circular holes of the shipping container edges, while bats prefer the nests inside the 3D letters spelling ‘Educan’ on the building’s façade.
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Hannah Silver joined Wallpaper* in 2019 to work on watches and jewellery. Now, as well as her role as watches and jewellery editor, she writes widely across all areas including on art, architecture, fashion and design. As well as offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, Hannah is interested in the quirks of what makes for a digital success story.
-
Brooklyn furniture studio Stillmade unveils its first collaborative design series
Stillmade brings to life the designs of four New Yorkers – Pat Kim, Danny Kaplan, Michele Quan and Mignogna Studio
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
Toyota and Jun Takahashi create a limited edition Aygo X
Toyota Aygo X Undercover edition is a city car spliced with a high-end streetwear brand
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Daniel Arsham debuts new work in Paris and New York
Daniel Arsham and Perrotin mark 20 years of collaboration with New York and Paris exhibitions
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Collective, Hong Kong and Spain: Wallpaper* Architects Directory 2023
With bases in Hong Kong and Spain, Collective joins the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2023, our annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Sustainable architecture: innovative and inspiring building design
This is sustainable architecture at its best: from amazing abodes to centres of care and hard-working offices, these buildings not only look good but also do good
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Nicolás y Nicolás, Spain and Ecuador: Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2023
With offices in Spain and Ecuador, Nicolás y Nicolás is part of the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2023, our annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Slot House sets a high bar for sustainable architecture in Utah
Slot House, an energy-efficient mountain retreat in Utah, by local practice Klima Architecture, sets the bar high
By Eva Hagberg Published
-
Spruce house offers a minimalist take on sustainable architecture
Spruce House, London practice Ao-ft’s debut project, is a carefully crafted timber house that perfectly slots into its urban landscape
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
This light-filled Spanish house is defined by openness and geometry
A Spanish house by Arquitecturia Camps Felip is designed around its courtyards and its six volumes’ bold geometry
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Material Cultures workshops support shift towards sustainable building practices
Material Cultures workshops explore new approaches to promote sustainability in the construction industry
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
London's Exchange House gets a sustainable revamp
London's iconic Exchange House in Broadgate has been transformed for the 21st century by Piercy&Company
By Nana Ama Owusu-Ansah Published