Architecture For Long-Bodied Short-Legged Dog
Case Study
by Joanne Benzimra Morali & Bianca Jean-Pierre
University : Universidad Europea de Madrid (UEM)
Course : Integrated Drawing Workshop II
Project Type : Case Study
2nd Semester - 2021
Tutor : Diego Garcia Cuevas
Tools : Rhino 3d, Grasshopper, Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator, Laser cut machine, Fablab, Hand-Drawing
Atelier Bow Wow
Architecture for Daschund Dog
Architecture For Dogs, 2015
Architecture for Dogs, invented by architects and designers, is a collection of architecture as a new medium, which make dogs and their people happy. Dogs are people’s partners, living right beside them, but they are also animals that humans, through crossbreeding, have created in multitudes of breeds; therefore they deserve more attention from us.
Architecture for Long-bodied Short-Legged Dog is a really pure and straight-forward project from Atelier Bow-Wow. This interactive object is tailored to the Dachshund Smooth dog breed also called “sausage dogs”. Their long body and short legs inspired the shape of the design itself. As we can see it’s composed of a seat on each side that could represent the dog’s legs and two sloped ramps adapted to their body.
The Domestic Burrow: Elevation, Protection, Interaction
Rooted in Japanese minimalism and canine ergonomics, this constructable wooden module transforms the domestic landscape for the dachshund.
The piece is composed of two sloped ramps and seats, creating an elevated path tailored to the dog's movement and need for security. Beneath the sloped surfaces, a burrow-like space invites rest and playful “digging.”
Its foldable elements and bench integration cater equally to human comfort and canine exploration. Echoing the design language of Atelier Bow-Wow’s Pet Architecture, it functions as a microcosm of interaction—between bodies, species, and levels of space.
Close Companions: An Architecture of Empathy
This project reimagines architecture through interspecies empathy. Designed for the dachshund, with its long body and fragile spine, the object responds to its unique morphology.
Inspired by Atelier Bow-Wow’s “Architecture for Dogs,” it serves as both a ramp for the dog and a bench for the human, allowing shared, eye-level interaction.
Minimal and multifunctional, it blends seamlessly into the domestic space—becoming a piece of furniture, a playground, and above all, a caring gesture.