Sit, Stay, Play: 10 Spaces Made for Pets (and Their People)
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Our pets are no longer seen as companions on the sidelines, but rather as part of our family. As our lives adapt to include them in daily routines, architecture is following suit. From homes that consider how dogs actually see color to cafés where cats nap above your coffee, designers are rethinking spaces with animals in mind. These ten projects show how care, comfort and play can be built into the environments we share with our four-legged friends.
Dog and Cat Hotel
By Raulino Silva Arquitecto, Vila do Conde, Portugal
This pet hotel rethinks animal care through architecture, offering dogs and cats a place to stay during their owners’ travels. Three interconnected buildings separate the cat and dog zones, keeping each environment calm and comfortable. Dogs have 41 shelters organized around a corridor garden that softens views and reduces stress, while cats enjoy 12 private rooms linked by a skylit play area. Beyond accommodation, the site includes outdoor training grounds, a veterinary office, grooming spaces and even a swimming pool for pets.
Guide Dogs for the Blind New Student Residence
By Studio Bondy Architecture, San Rafael, California
This new residence is part of a campus renewal for Guide Dogs for the Blind, an organization that raises and trains service dogs while supporting hundreds of visually impaired students each year. The design creates a safe, comfortable environment where students and their dogs can live, train and rest together. Each guest suite opens to a private patio with direct access to dog relieving areas, while shared amenities like lounges, patios and fitness spaces offer relief from demanding training schedules. Even the design process reflected the mission, as drawings were produced with Braille and raised lines, ensuring accessibility from the start.
Jackie XU Private Residence I A Love Letter to My Dogs
By Office of Goldchild, Shanghai, China
Designed around the relationship between an owner and her two dogs, this residence treats companionship as its central theme. The project draws on research into canine vision, which differs from human sight by perceiving fewer colors. Using a palette of yellows and blues, architects selected materials such as teakwood, Prussian blue mosaics and grey terrazzo to create spaces seen in similar ways by both humans and dogs. The result is an environment that supports shared perception, turning everyday life into a mutual experience and reinforcing the emotional bond at the heart of the home.
Petcart Nest
By F+S Designs, Sarjapura, Bengaluru, India
As one of India’s first purpose-built pet resorts, Petcart Nest reimagines the idea of boarding with space, comfort and play at its core. Set across two acres of orchards and open land, the design takes advantage of natural contours, reviving a dried pond and building around existing trees. Kennels are larger than most in the country, made with bamboo walls that stay airy and safe for pets. Dogs can run across lawns, sandpits and mounds, or cool off in a pool with gently stepped depths. Eco-friendly systems, from rainwater harvesting to biogas waste treatment, make the retreat as thoughtful as it is fun.
House in Nukuikitamachi
By MIZUISHI Architect Atelier, Koganei, Japan
Designed for a family of four, along with two dogs and three cats, this home turns walls into active living space. Narrow structural walls, called “FUTOKORO” (meaning recess or pocket in Japanese), double as storage, workspaces, or even small pet rooms depending on need. The north–south axis stays open for light and airflow, while a large earthen-floored entry extends into a terrace enclosed by a wooden lattice, a detail that keeps pets safe while connecting indoors and out. By shaping everyday circulation around flexible recesses and open courtyards, the house encourages shared life between people, pets and possessions.
Paw Pets Spa
By Office AIO, Beijing, China
Office AIO rethinks what a pet shop can be, treating animals as the real clients rather than storefront displays. Instead of placing dogs and cats behind glass to attract attention, the design sets them deeper within the space, protected by switchable glass that reduces stress from outside gazes. Separate entrances and zones for cats and dogs prevent unwanted encounters, while a vertical cat play zone adds a layer of territory just for felines. Natural light pours in through skylights and a muted palette tailored to pets’ limited color perception creates a calm environment.
Manhattan Pet Adoption Center
By Studio Joseph, New York, New York
Adoption relies on first impressions and this center sets the stage for connection. Housed in a reused 1930s garage, the project combines community presence with a welcoming environment for animals and families alike. A colorful rainscreen of steel fins shifts in tone as people walk by, signaling playfulness while activating the street. Inside, safety and comfort guide the layout: cats are placed at the front, dogs at the rear and glass partitions reduce stress by limiting direct eye contact. With a mural that shifts from dog to cat as you move, the space invites warmth and has already boosted adoption rates.
Meow Parlour
By Sonya Lee Architect, New York, New York 
What began as New York’s first cat café has grown into a non-profit dedicated to giving every cat a chance at adoption. Meow Parlour’s new home reflects that mission with spaces that are as inviting for felines as they are for visitors. A towering wall of oak shelves spells out “MEOW,” doubling as a climbing wall, while a central wooden “tree” with hammocks offers perches for lounging cats. Visitors can relax in booths, peek through shelves, or enjoy coffee while cats roam freely. Behind the playfulness lies a serious goal: improved care, better visibility and more successful adoptions.
Pampurr Pet Wellness
By office architect9kampanad,Thailand
In a fast-changing Bangkok neighborhood, Pampurr Pet Clinic was designed as a cheerful retreat for pets and their owners. A triangular form opens the building to the street, improving visibility while creating a welcoming entry sequence. Inside, translucent corrugated panels in shifting colors define spaces and filter light, giving the clinic a fresh, upbeat character. Mint green accents calm anxious visitors, contrasting with the area’s muted palette and setting the clinic apart as a lively landmark. Beyond veterinary care, the design makes waiting less stressful and turns routine visits into a more positive experience for both humans and animals.
Healing Pets
By Informal Design, Hangzhou, China
Set inside a former toy factory, Healing Pets transforms an old industrial building into a lively destination for pet lovers. The design mixes café, activity zones and pet care facilities, creating a place where people and animals can share daily life. Natural textures like stone, plywood and gravel concrete shape a durable environment that feels warm and inviting, while ramps and flexible furniture keep the layout friendly for pets of all sizes. Branding and architecture are tightly woven together, from signage to furniture details, turning the space into both a social hub and a supportive community for pets and owners.
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