Introducing the 2026 Barkitecture shortlist

17 architects and artists from around the world have responded to this year’s brief, which takes a playful leap into the cosmos, challenging designers to create kennels on the theme Dogs in Space, which has pushed their creativity and imagination into a new orbit. 

All Goodwoof attendees are invited to enjoy the exhibition of kennels in the Barkitecture tent, located in the Duchess Paddock. Here, you and your dog can inspect and test the features of each kennel and judge them based on design, functionality, and—of course—the interpretation of the Dogs in Space theme. Plus, returning in 2026 is the People and Paws Award, where you can cast your vote on your space-dog’s favourite kennel.

All Barkitecture entrants will be hoping to get their paws on the much-coveted Kennel Design Award, claimed last year by Lord David Snowdon and Matthew Rice with Scott Simpson from The King’s Foundation for their creation ‘Snowdon Dog House’. Curated by Kevin McCloud MBE, The Kennel Design Award will be judged by a celebrity panel on Sunday 17 May.

One of this year’s judges is real-life astronaut Tim Peake CMG, whose qualifications will bring a unique perspective to the judging.

Raising funds for the 2026 charity Battersea

After months of planning, designing and building the kennels, the concepts will go under the hammer in the thrilling Barkitecture Auction hosted by Bonhams on Sunday 17 May, with all proceeds going to the Goodwoof 2026 charity partner, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, whose mission extends far beyond rehoming.

Battersea provides expert training and behavioural guidance, shares specialist knowledge, offers grant funding to rescue partners worldwide, and campaigns for meaningful change - ensuring animals in need receive care, protection and the chance to find a forever home. 

The best part of the auction is that anyone can bid, so if one of the designs catches your pooch’s eye, throw your paddle up in aid of Battersea’s vital work. Since launching in 2022, the Barkitecture auction has generated over £62,000 in charitable donations, supporting animal welfare organisations, and we can’t wait to see how much is raised this year.

2026 Concept Designs 

Now in its fifth year, Barkitecture continues to grow in popularity with both guests and architects alike. The theme Dogs in Space has fired the imaginations of all entrants, with a series of spectacular concepts shortlisted. This year’s shortlist brings together 17 architectural and design studios, including 10 new entrants.

So, without further delay, we are delighted to introduce the 2026 Barkitecture Shortlist.

Sebastian Conran & Beta Design Office 
Founded in 1980, the award-winning architecture and interior design studio Conran + Partners returns for a fourth consecutive year with ‘The Moon Dog’. This visionary concept features a geodesic, cell-based structure, engineered to withstand the extreme conditions of Mars while remaining compact and lightweight enough for efficient spacecraft stowage. 

Daniel Arsham 
Further details of his concept will be revealed soon. 

George + James Architects 
Returning for their fourth year, George + James present ‘ArchinautX’, a concept blending imaginative storytelling with refined craftsmanship. Inspired by the rocket from Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out and the retro-futurist flair of Despicable Me, the design pairs a theatrical, space-bound exterior with a calm, Scandinavian-inspired interior. 

Grimshaw  
Grimshaw returns with 'Dog Space Shelter 06' a high-tech, canine-centred shelter designed for life beyond Earth. Using components from the modular system developed for the Mabeg headquarters in Germany,  'Dog Space Shelter 06' reflects the studio’s hallmark precision, accessibility and innovation. 

Hall + Bednarczyk 
Hall + Bednarczyk present ‘Kubrick’s Bone’, a playful nod to 2001: A Space Odyssey. A cosy bed anchors the design, while suspended bone-shaped elements float above like a mobile, creating the illusion of zero gravity as dogs rest comfortably on solid ground. 

Hopkins Architects
Further details of their concept will be revealed soon. 

HPW Architecture Ltd 
Making their Barkitecture debut, HPW Architecture Ltd introduces ‘Star Paws Sleeping Module’, a cosy space pod drawing on the language of ready-made and found objects assembled to suggest floating form and neutral buoyancy.

Kit Kemp Design Studio Minnie Kemp & Henry Neville Wood 
Kit Kemp Design Studio makes its first Barkitecture appearance with ‘The Legend of Diego, Astro Dog’, a two-metre-tall wooden sculpture crafted by master artisans. Celebrating imagination and craftsmanship, the structure offers sanctuary for canine explorers. 

Lord David Snowdon & The King’s Foundation
Further details of their concept will be revealed soon. 

Morag Myerscough, Luke Morgan & Elvis
Morag Myerscough debuts at Barkitecture with ‘The Adventurer’, a vibrant, playful space-pod concept inspired by childhood cardboard spaceships. Bursting with colour and pattern, it reflects her signature approach to transforming environments through bold visual language. 

Paul Archer Design
Paul Archer Design presents ‘K-9 Cave’, a concept inspired by the idea of a “primitive future.” Combining early architectural traditions with imagined extraterrestrial living.

Polysmiths
Polysmiths introduces ‘The Pluto Pod’, a lightweight cosmic capsule made from 3D-printed basalt-reinforced PLA with rugged, stepped geometry for meteor protection. Inside, 140 recycled tennis balls - handcut, foamfilled and dyed in Goodwoof Orange - create a tactile, scentrich nest, created with the help of Fab.Pub.  

Randell Design Group 
Randell Design Group returns with ‘The PAWdyssey’, a modular pod that adapts to the size of its canine traveller. The enclosed space offers security and sanctuary, while the base serves as a docking station stocked with food, water and toys for the journey ahead. 

RSHP 
RSHP presents ‘The Anti-Gravity Lounger’, a deployable structure exploring suspension as a state of calm. Lightweight, collapsible and built from everyday components, it reflects an approach guided by purpose over excess - a celebration of gravity, balance and tranquillity. 

Simon Allford/AHMM 
Award winning architects, Simon Allford/AHMM will make their first appearance at this year’s Barkitecture competition. The practice’s philosophy is that great architecture should be memorable, informed by the past, serving the present and generous enough to accommodate an unknown future, fitting for this year’s Dogs in Space theme. Their design 'Dogs in Space – 2051: A Space Odyssey – for dogs' takes inspiration from Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Simon Allford/AHMM have created a kennel concept that takes notes from Laugier’s primitive huts, bringing memories of space travel into the home.  

Six Dots Design 
Six Dots Design returns with ‘A Dog in Disguise’, imagining how a canine space traveller might blend in on an unfamiliar planet. The kennel takes the form of an alien dog companion that opens for lounging or closes to provide a protective cloak of disguise. 

Join us at Goodwoof on 16 and 17 May 2026. Early bird tickets are now on sale, and you'll save over 20% by booking early.

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