Design firm: Say Architects, Hangzhou, China

The details: The pet grooming experience is anything but conventional at Nova Pets in Hangzhou, China. Spread across more than 4,800 square feet, the contemporary facility encompasses a salon, pet playground, and a clean-lined paddling pool.

For the interior, Say Architects chose “yellow, black, gray, and blue as the palette, since these are the main colors that a dog can see in their daily doggy life,” explains cofounder Yan Zhang. Beyond the entry playground, a swimming pool features six circular windows for views of aquatic pups at work, while a café area is housed beneath double-height ceilings and lined with columns that show off their original raw textures. The predominantly black and white environment features two sunken voids that flank an elevated walkway, creating more room for pets and owners to enjoy the space. “It became an exploring experience for pets, with the sunken area and tunnels between them,” says Zhang.

This article originally appeared in HD’s  March/April 2020 issue.