Pako Street Animal Social Life Campus by Mert Uslu Architecture

A New Model for Human–Animal Interaction and Rehabilitation in Izmir

The Gökdere project in Bornova, Türkiye, designed by Mert Uslu Architecture, spans 29,916 m² and was completed in 2022. Integrating advanced structural, mechanical, and electrical systems, the design emphasizes functionality and sustainability. High-quality materials from Kale, Daikin, EGE, Novawood, and Weber enhance durability, while photography by Zeren and Mehmet Yasa captures its architectural finesse.

Rethinking Animal Welfare Architecture in Turkey

The Pako Street Animal Social Life Campus by Mert Uslu Architecture represents a pioneering step in Turkey’s approach to animal welfare architecture. Located in the Gökdere district of Bornova, Izmir, the 110,000-square-meter site serves not only as a temporary care center for stray and injured animals but also as a social campus dedicated to mutual rehabilitation between humans and dogs.

In Turkey, animal care practices primarily focus on medical treatment and temporary sheltering before releasing animals back into their natural environments. However, this project redefines that model — transforming the idea of a shelter into an interactive, educational, and therapeutic landscape where human-animal relationships are nurtured through design.

Architectural Vision: Integrating Care, Education, and Community

The masterplan of the Animal Social Life Campus emphasizes open and closed spatial relationships that foster interaction and transparency. The shelter units are arranged along the north and south edges, while a central axis organizes the amphitheater, administrative offices, and dedicated spaces for puppies and purebred dogs.

At the eastern edge, specialized zones house veterinary units, quarantine areas, and shelters for aggressive or rehabilitating dogs, ensuring safety and clear circulation for both staff and visitors. Each building responds to the specific needs of animals, addressing issues often neglected in traditional shelters — hygiene, accessibility, ventilation, and green space integration.

Through open-air enclosures, shaded areas, and natural landscaping, the campus blurs boundaries between built and natural environments. The design fosters both comfort and stimulation, crucial for animals’ psychological well-being.

Design Elements: Transparency, Light, and Comfort

The spatial design of the shelter units prioritizes natural light, ventilation, and visual connectivity. Wire mesh screens and transparent partitions along the façades not only provide security but also encourage visibility and engagement — allowing visitors, staff, and animals to observe one another freely.

Soft scapes made from soil and greenery integrate the shelters with the surrounding landscape, while automatic watering systems and color-coded transparent elements contribute to a clean and comfortable environment.

Materials such as exposed concrete, wood, and steel are chosen for durability and aesthetic coherence, creating a balance between functionality and warmth. The design language reflects an architectural empathy, giving dignity to animal spaces while maintaining an inviting environment for people.

Education, Rehabilitation, and Social Engagement

The campus extends beyond animal care into community education and social awareness. Within the administrative area, seminar and workshop spaces offer programs on dog care, adoption processes, and responsible pet ownership.

In a particularly innovative approach, the facility partners with institutions supporting children with disabilities, enabling them to benefit from therapeutic human-dog interactions. This vision of reciprocal rehabilitation reinforces the project’s mission to create meaningful, emotional connections between species.

The central amphitheater serves as both a gathering and learning space — a focal point where families and potential adopters can spend time with dogs in a natural, engaging environment. The amphitheater embodies the project’s dual mission: education and empathy through architectural design.

Exposed Concrete as Communication and Shade

Exposed concrete elements play multiple roles within the campus. Beyond their structural and shading functions, they act as exhibition surfaces that display information about resident dogs — their breeds, personalities, and adoption status. This subtle integration of information design within architecture encourages visitors to learn, connect, and adopt responsibly.

A Prototype for Humane and Sustainable Shelter Design

The Pako Street Animal Social Life Campus is more than an animal shelter — it is a prototype for humane, sustainable, and socially engaged architecture. By merging environmental design with social ethics, the project sets a precedent for future urban animal welfare infrastructures across Turkey and beyond.

All photographs are works of  Zeren Yasa, Mehmet Yasa