Animal shelters and kennels are unlike any other type of structure, and Shelter Architecture Unleashed offers extensive experience in this field. From the start, our design team is focused on all the specific details and considerations that go into a successful project.
Put our experience to work for you from the very start of your shelter planning process. Call Shelter Architecture Unleashed at 704-756-3540.
Watch our video and hear architect Roger Layman describe how our expertise makes a difference.
A different breed of animal shelter design!
Shelter Design Expertise
Shelter Architecture Unleashed has planned and designed a diverse portfolio of over 200 animal care projects that include nonprofit organizations, municipalities, private veterinary practices, and specialty referral hospitals across the country. Our experience includes projects ranging from targeted renovations and facility expansions to comprehensive campus master plans and new construction exceeding 25,000 square feet.
Details We Consider With Every Animal Shelter Design
While not every project is not the same, there are essential elements involved with any animal shelter or kennel structure that must not be compromised.
Durability
Shelter materials and assemblies must be selected for intensive daily use, frequent cleaning and disinfection, animal interaction, moisture, impact, and high traffic, with durability directly reducing maintenance costs and extending the useful life of the facility.
HVAC Systems & Disease Control
Properly designed HVAC systems are fundamental to disease control by providing appropriate ventilation, pressure relationships, filtration, temperature control, and air movement that limit the transmission of airborne pathogens between animal populations.
Daylight
Appropriate access to natural daylight supports animal welfare by providing more natural environmental cues, reducing stress, and creating a healthier and more welcoming environment for staff and the public, while reducing dependence on artificial lighting.
Flooring
Animal shelter flooring must provide a seamless, durable, slip-resistant, and easily cleanable surface that withstands constant exposure to moisture, disinfectants, claws, traffic, and animal waste while minimizing opportunities for pathogens to collect.
Sound Control
Sound control is critical in shelters because excessive barking and reverberation can elevate animal stress, negatively affect behavior, and increase staff fatigue; thoughtful room separation, sound-absorbing materials, and acoustic isolation can substantially improve the environment.
Humidity Control
Maintaining appropriate humidity levels is important for animal health, infection control, building durability, and occupant comfort, as excessive humidity can promote microbial growth while excessively dry conditions can contribute to respiratory and skin irritation.
Plumbing Systems & Disease Control
Animal shelter plumbing design must support efficient cleaning and sanitation while preventing cross-contamination through proper drainage, fixture placement, backflow protection, and separation of clean and contaminated functions.
Workflow of Staff, Animals & Public
Effective shelter design separates and coordinates public, staff, animal, healthy, sick, clean, dirty, and service circulation to minimize conflicts, improve operational efficiency, reduce cross-contamination, and create a safer and less stressful experience for both animals and people.
Fear Free Design
Fear-free shelter and kennel design recognizes that the physical environment has a direct impact on animal stress, behavior, health, and adoptability, and therefore uses the facility itself as a tool to reduce fear and anxiety.
YOUR SHELTER ARCHITECT
Roger Layman, AIA, NCARB, is an award-winning architect with over 35 years of commercial and residential architectural experience. He has designed more than 200 animal care projects, including veterinary hospitals, animal clinics, county animal shelters, and Humane Society facilities.
At Shelter Architecture Unleashed, Roger combines a love for animals with his passion for design. His goal is to collaborate, using input from you and your entire staff, and create a welcoming and healthy environment for your team, visitors, and every animal that comes through your doors.
Roger Layman, AIA, NCARB
Shelter Architect
What Clients Are Saying
“Roger impressed me with his ability to listen and ask questions to fully understand organizational and community needs being addressed with the project.”
“Deliverables were well documented, thoughtfully detailed, and submitted on schedule. As a result, the project progressed smoothly and exceeded our expectations.”
“Roger’s ability to balance creative design, technical coordination, and the unique demands of a government customer made him an invaluable partner.”