Animal Refuge Centre, in 2004, the city of Amsterdam decided to combine and amalgamate the two existing animal refuges into a single entity. The result, the Amsterdam Animal Refuge Centre designed by the firm Arons en Gelauff Architecten, is a scheme which takes an exceedingly difficult site and produces both an attractive and functional solution.
Courtesy of Arons en Gelauff Architects
The solution seeks to balance the comfort and climate for the impounded animals with the restrictions of its city fringe plot and the need for low levels of noise pollution. Below, the architects describe their specific response in more detail. We have had the service corridor and the kennel corridor converge in the Amsterdam Animal Rescue Centre. This creates a long, thin ribbon building. This building is folded like a ribbon along the waterway around the plot. Inside this, two large play spaces for the animals have been created.
Courtesy of Arons en Gelauff Architects
The building faces inwards in order to reduce excessive noise levels (barking!) for the neighbours. In the high part of the building, the cat accommodation is located above the dog kennels as an extra sound buffer for the outside world. The central position of the entrance lobby determines the final form – a fluid object. Its hide is a pixel version of the grass on the old dike next to the location.
Project info:
Architects: Arons en Gelauff Architects
Country: Netherlands, Amsterdam
Area: 5800 m²
Year: 2007
Photographs: Courtesy of Arons en Gelauff Architects
Matt Davis is a Virginia Tech graduate and one of the founding editors behind Arch2O. Launching the platform in mid‑2012 alongside fellow Hokies, he helped shape its identity as an international hub for design innovation and critical dialogue . With a foundation in architectural education and a passion for uncovering unconventional design approaches, Matt has contributed significantly—both editorially and strategically—to Arch2O’s growth, ensuring that emerging architects, academics, and creatives have a space to question, explore, and elevate the built environment.