A New Home for Animal Advocacy: San Antonio Humane Society Adoption Center and Campus

“In 1999, the San Antonio Humane Society operated out of a bunch of old trailers and an unairconditioned metal building on a dusty lot – just across the street from the elegantly restored Museum of Art. The contrast couldn’t have been more stunning, between the sophisticated museum buildings and the ad-hoc Humane Society facility,” recalls Billy Lawrence, AIA. “It took a visionary executive director and board to close the wholly inadequate downtown facility and establish new suburban headquarters.” The move ushered in a new chapter for the Humane Society, and kicked off a successful twenty-plus year design partnership with Alamo Architects.

Phase One, 2000 – 2002:
In 2000, the SAHS made the game-changing decision to move their adoptable animals to where the adoptive families are: the affluent suburbs. Getting out of an obscure downtown location removed key barriers to connecting with people seeking pet companions, by prioritizing easy access and high visibility. At an inflection point in public awareness of the plight of stray animals, the move offered the organization a fresh opportunity to define its brand. Our new, public-facing campus is master-planned and designed to engage visitors, and fully transformed the future outlook for this dedicated animal care organization.

When the new Adoption Center opened in 2002, the intake facility and adoption kennels greeted visitors with a cheerful, upbeat experience, reversing decades of poor public opinion. Adoptions and volunteerism saw immediate and remarkable growth, a strong payoff for the strategic move; positive visitor and staff experience remains key to the success of the SAHS today. Drastically improved adoptions, greater visibility, and increased donor and volunteer support were proof of concept that our innovations were good for business: in fact, the SAHS campus was awarded an international spot in the 2004 Business Week / Architectural Record, “Good Design is Good Business” awards presentation.

The contemporary design of the Adoption Center, with its generous windows and adjoining outdoor spaces, offers a wide-armed welcome to the public. Visitors experience a cheerful pre-visit waiting area, and adoption kennels, the cattery, and adjoining courtyards are equally designed to promote a calm, upbeat mood – a full pivot from the institutional feel of traditional adoption kennels. Within the first year, the organization reported significantly higher adoption rates, coupled with a lower rate of returns. The facility design enabled staff to begin obedience and crate training with dogs while in their care – a notable improvement in successful pet adoptions. Drastically improved adoptions, greater visibility, and increased donor and volunteer support were proof of concept that our innovations were good for business: in fact, the SAHS campus was awarded an international spot in the 2004 Business Week / Architectural Record joint award, “Good Design is Good Business.”

Design Language: Familiar and New at the Same Time.
The SAHS campus buildings borrow from relatable local vernacular of Fredericksburg stone Sunday houses, and metal farm buildings. Gathered around a courtyard, the Adoption Center and outbuildings create a sheltered center courtyard, the sunny centerpiece of campus shaded by generous trellises and canopies. Overlapping rooflines with deep overhangs set up an active, contemporary expression, while modulating solar gain through tall, floor to ceiling windows. Throughout the campus, connection to sky and landscape from within the buildings offers an open, communicative and uniquely memorable sense of place.

Wellbeing for Animals and People, Too.
While it’s natural to expect animals to get priority in an adoption clinic, we prioritize people as well. We consider not only public-facing spaces, but the wellbeing of staff working behind the scenes. “Functional requirements – such as the isolation of contagion, durability and cleanability, and efficient workflow – are integrated into a workplace environment enhanced with natural light and views outside,” according to Jason Hyatt, Alamo principal and project manager. “Throughout the workday in the surgical suite, veterinarians and techs can look out into the rear garden into the flowering trees of the training yards. Simply refocusing your eyes every so often is a beneficial break between tasks.” The SAHS attributes their excellent staff retention (and relative lack of burnout) in part to this and many other biophilic considerations combining to make the clinic a healthier workplace.

“Put the puppies with the milk.”
Borrowing a page from grocery layouts: “Put the puppies with the milk.” Since we know that grocery stores can depend on shoppers to walk all the way to the back for milk and eggs, we proposed we could motivate visitors to move through all the kennels just to see the puppies. Sequencing the kennels in a mindful way is optimal for the harder-to-adopt animals – they are first on the visitor tour, for a bit of extra visibility. Through this thoughtful strategy, guests experience a visit to all the adoptable dogs – and, are rewarded for their attention with puppy yaps and furballs.

Phases 2 and 3: Arriving at an inflection point in public awareness, the new SAHS campus was designed to set a new standard of compassionate care for stray and surrendered dogs and cats. Innovations in care, expanded spay/neuter services, and greater community outreach proved the SAHS could “move the needle” on outcomes for stray pets citywide. Phase 2 of the SAHS campus added the Leeu Naylor Medical Building (opened 2024), greatly increasing critical spay/neuter capacity. When complete, the Phase 3 Education Building will become the new center of SAHS educational outreach, volunteer coordination, and fundraising activity.

AWARDS

2004 | 8th Annual Business Week/Architectural Record “Design is Good Business” Award
Humane Society/SPCA of San Antonio and Bexar County, San Antonio
The BS/AR Design Awards are given to projects that demonstrate how “good design can be good business.” The award considered the impact of a project on its client and the community it serves. The jury acknowledged measurable successes like increased productivity, high building occupancy, and a stronger corporate identity.

2003 | South Texas Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. – Excellence in Construction Award
Humane Society / SPCA of San Antonio and Bexar County, San Antonio

2003 | AIA San Antonio – Citation Award
Humane Society / SPCA of San Antonio and Bexar County, San Antonio