Expanding Impact for the San Antonio Humane Society: The Leeu Naylor Medical Building.

Animal Care, Architecture, Planning

What sets our design strategy apart? A multidisciplinary approach, bringing together experts in planning, architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design to solve for innovation. Phase Two development of the San Antonio Humane Society campus offered a rich opportunity to build on earlier success, and to continue to innovate. Our master plan sites the Leeu Naylor Medical Building adjacent to the Adoption Center. The buildings are connected by an interior corridor of landscaped courtyards along the gently sloping landform, a key characteristic of campus circulation.

Together we produced an excellent project that has generated the results we sought – a large part of that being the detailed design. Alamo Architects lived up to their reputation in all aspects.

Nancy May, President/CEO, San Antonio Humane Society

The new, standalone veterinary clinic represents a major growth step, replacing the small spay/neuter and intake clinic within the original Phase 1 Adoption Center. The Leeu Naylor Medical Building focuses on spay/neuter services, with anticipated future service expansion to approximately 25,000 surgeries a year, while also accommodating the typical clinical needs of animals brought to the SAHS for intake. We innovated to solve complex design issues within the building envelope: isolation of contagion, durable, cleanable finishes, veterinary orthopedic functionality, efficient spay/neuter flow, and an emphasis on natural light and views to the outside. By effectively expanding the capacity of its spay neuter surgery suite, SAHS greatly multiplied its positive citywide impact.

Building on the successful innovations of the Adoption Center, the Medical Building was ideated as a healthy setting for both animals and people. Consideration for high operational standards is matched with prioritizing the wellbeing of medical staff and volunteers. Biophilic features, such as sightlines connecting surgery suites to outdoor views, set up a positive, upbeat environment supporting our veterinarians and clinicians – a pivot from typical shelter clinics. In partnership with technical specialists Animal Arts, we have elevated the state of the veterinary arts practiced in service of the SAHS mission.

Show Less Read More

Service | Planning, Architecture

Client | San Antonio Humane Society

General Contractor | Metro Contractors

Project Management | Project Control

Budget | DND

Completion | March 2021

View into the visitor area in evening light reveals expansive windows and open interior.

There is always training and visitor activity in the interior courtyard areas.

Landscaped interior courtyards are connected along a central spine, and provide circulation among the buildings – a park-like amenity that adds a relaxed, social ambience to the grounds.

“Compassionate care and comfort,” begins the building dedication to the Naylor Medical Building at the visitor entry.

The interplay of roof planes echoes a collection of farm buildings, enclosing the interior courtyard circulation.

The spay/neuter clinic accommodates 25,000 surgeries per year, helping to meaningfully “move the needle” in the effort of improving the wellbeing of pets in the metro area.