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Former students from the University’s School of Architecture, Art & Design have exhibited a special architecturally-designed kennel to over 12,000 visitors as part of one of the UK’s premier festivals for dogs, Goodwoof.

The design was one of only 11 innovative dog kennels selected to be exhibited as part of Goodwoof's Barkitecture competition, with designs submitted by architects from all across the world.

The designs took inspiration from the 2025 theme “From Nature; For Nature”. Particular focus was given to the use of natural, locally sourced and sustainable materials, and were judged against criteria which included canine wellbeing, durability, architectural ambition and, of course, the delight of the dog. The judges were Kevin McCloud, Bill Bailey, and The Duke of Richmond. The exhibition was interactive, and dogs were invited to inspect and explore the kennels for themselves.

The Burrow

Made and crafted in the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries (CCI)'s Eldon 3D Workshop by specialist technicians, the creation – named the “Burrow” – was a collaboration between the University’s School of Architecture, Art & Design, , and New Square Property. The Randell Design Group team included Laura van Beek, MA Interior Architecture and Design alumna.

The Burrow’s unique design features aimed to redefine canine comfort by tapping into dogsʼ instincts, allowing pups to spiral into their cozy den, just like animals would in the wild. The biggest highlight of the dog kennel design is its ability to split into two ‘open nestsʼ, making it ideal for households with multiple dogs or varied sleeping preferences.

The designers studied a variety of architectural forms that occur within nature and are created by the wildlife inhabiting them. They looked at the way dogs pace in a spiral to curl up or how foxes dig deep into the earth and noticed how each mammal finds a space to sleep and feel secure that echoes life in the womb. This concept was translated into a 3D model, carving and scraping away sections of the interior in a burrowing-like fashion.

Special credit should be given to the Randell Design Group’s office pups, Milo and Millie, who worked hard to test out the kennel concept. Milo, a handsome Cockapoo, who loves sniffing and digging, and Millie, a gorgeous Australian Labradoodle, whose favourite pastime is running on the beach and getting muddy.

The final day of the festival saw all the kennels sold at a charity auction, with the Burrow raising £1,000 for the – the second highest amount raised at auction.

Nicola Crowson, Associate Head (Students) in the School of Architecture, Art & Design at the University, said: “The exhibition was a total success. Although we did not win, getting shortlisted for the event itself and the fact the final design was seen by over 12,000 people during the weekend made this a wonderful experience for our alumni, and the fact that this was a collaborative effort with the Randell Design Group really underlines the impact that our partnerships with local business and industry are having on the University’s broader civic agenda”.

Jo Kroes Randell, Director of Randell Design Group, said: “It was a wonderful experience throughout the design and participation process, and we are proud of what we collaboratively achieved”.