Pet Resource Center Animal Care Building

Press Kit

Unique Properties

As the first building of its kind, the Pet Resource Center is a revolution in the animal care industry. With kennels and cages intentionally omitted, Its function is similar in many ways to an animal shelter, but its fundamental philosophy is the polar opposite.

Dimensions & Packaging

Site: 6 acres
Building: 20,000 Square Feet Interior
+ 20,000 square feet exterior

Tags

animal care, pet space, shelter

Production Technology

ANALYSIS
A deep dive into typology allowed us to parse and categorize the language into architectural strategies for form. These are the strategies we used to manipulate our roofscape to achieve an efficient and intentional peaking, merging, kicking out of the slopes to traverse the site and shelter the program.

Design Challenge

A CUSTOMIZED PROGRAM
As a new Buidling Type, we had to devise a different approach to the design of the building. We had to rethink the purpose, the flow and the program. This Center needed to be community-focused, inclusive, and welcoming. We needed to pull the public into the world of Best Friends and get them involved, either to donate, volunteer, adopt or foster. It needed to support its affiliated rescues, foster parents, and the animals. It needed to provide adequate medical care and spay and neuter services. It needed to educate on all aspects of animal care including dog behavior or kitten feeding. It would even provide a community pantry for parents that were in need. The spaces are designed around these functions and creatively support these aspirations.

Project Duration

Location: Bentonville Arkansas
The design for this project began in January 2020 with Construction ending in March 2023

Operation Flow

The Center is a public building that supports the adoption and fostering of pets. The Community wing and the medical wing are connected with an internal bridge that provides shade for the event spaces below and a gathering and work space for volunteers.

Research

It was clear to us and important for the client that the new facility related to its surroundings. To respond to this we studied the local vernacular and analyzed the shapes and geometries of local barn buildings. This was developed into a modern architecture that could support all the functions.

Inspiration

One of the first questions the client asked us during the interview process was ‘How are you going to make this fit into the local vernacular?’.
It was clear that needed to be an important part of our design approach. Even though Bentonville is a hub of industry, it still has a predominantly rural landscape. Old barn buildings are scattered throughout standing alone on wide fields between clusters of grazing cows.

Image Credits

Photographer: Ralf Strathmann

Patents

n/a

Colors of Pet Resource Center Animal Care Building

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