Cool Spaces: Educan by Eeestudio

WORDS Cheri Morris IMAGES Javier de Paz García and José Hevia via Dezeen

Educan by Eestudio is “a school for dogs, humans and other species” – a training centre for four-legged friends and their bipedal besties that doubles up as an aesthetic nesting ground for birds and bats.

Located near Madrid and designed by Eeestudio founder Enrique Espinosa and Lys Villalba, Educan was built with the plethora of “companion species” that support the surrounding biodiversity in mind. Specifically, those that play an important role in the local pollination cycle and the culling of insects, like mosquitoes, known to carry canine diseases.

Its design is an attempt to remedy the effects of intensive pesticide-reliant agricultural practices that accompanied this once-rural environment’s rapid development. The result? A building that is not only aesthetically arresting but works to recover the conditions of the ecosystem in which it is situated.

The clients, Eva Alda Cano and Marcos González, share the building with two German Shepherds, Bicho and Bomba, 20 sparrows, six kestrel families, five swift families and a barn owl named Harris. And this is no accidental feat: the building’s design offers purposeful facilities for all residents.

Concrete aggregate flooring incorporates river pebbles – perfect for puppy paws, while rolls of synthetic turf transform the training rooms. Pyramid foam insulation affords soundproofing from loud barks, while windows are thoughtfully positioned at heights that suit both dogs and trainers. High ceilings with perches aplenty beckon feathered tenants and each species has its own dedicated nesting area. Nests for bats are found where one would never think to look: within the six chunky letters that spell out ‘Educan’ on the building’s facade.

The building also integrates rainwater harvesting, providing water-filled troughs for the use of all creatures. To finish it all off, a vibrant colour palette comprising reds, yellows, blues and mint green brings homogeneity to a variety of textured industrial materials.

“Educan is an experiment that demonstrates how agricultural architecture can also be a place of exploration and architectural innovation,” says Lys.

Love this eco-conscious design? Check out Oasia Hotel Downtown by WOHA – a tropical, living tower in Singapore’s dense CBD that invites nature back into the city.

h/t: dezeen.com