An Expansive Vision for Animal Advocacy:
San Antonio Humane Society Campus Master Plan

Animal Care, Architecture, Planning

San Antonio Humane Society’s campus was dedicated in 2002, immediately becoming a hub for local animal advocacy – a warm, welcoming place for pets and their new adoptive families. The Adoption Facility also accommodated public outreach and education, offering flexible space for an active and growing volunteer corps. Siting the campus at a high-traffic intersection within the City’s affluent northwest quadrant leveraged prominent highway visibility – greatly benefiting the Humane Society mission.

Alamo Architects’ enthusiasm for aiding the plight of abandoned animals made them a unique fit with our mission.

– James Bias, Executive Director, Connecticut Humane Society;
former Executive Director, San Antonio Humane Society

In 2000, the SAHS made the key decision to move their adoptable animals to where the adoptive families are: the affluent suburbs. Moving from an obscure downtown location removed key barriers to connecting with people seeking pet companions by prioritizing easy access and high visibility. At a key 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 changed the ballgame for this dedicated animal care organization.

Phase I: Adoption Center | 2002
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 low stress, 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.”

Phase II: Leeu Naylor Medical Building | 2024
The building, named by its benefactor in whimsical tribute to a beloved pet, reinforces SAHS’s commitment to compassionate care of our stray population. The Naylor clinic greatly expanded spay/neuter capabilities, performing roughly 25,000 procedures per year. The building also has a separate surgery suite for injured intake animals, allowing the daily schedule of spay/neuter surgeries to proceed without interruption. Sophisticated equipment, such as a specialized treadmill tank for rehabilitating canines, improves surgery outcomes. The design of the building accommodates people as well as pets, with abundant natural light and beneficial connection to exterior spaces.

Phase III: Education Center
Still to be named for its primary benefactor, the Education Center will complete the campus master plan, allowing SAHS to fully realize their mission by creating a bridge to community through educational outreach. The new SAHS Education Center embodies a seamless blend of functionality, adaptability, and a deep connection to the architectural language established in Phase I and II. The architecture of the building responds to the flow of the existing main walkway, the spine of the campus that connects buildings and green spaces into a cohesive whole. Taking its place at the eastern edge of the campus, the building will showcase SAHS programming – the layout prioritizes flexibility, learning, and engagement. The floor plan has a large multipurpose space, office spaces, support spaces, two additional classrooms, and exterior courtyards – all designed with efficiency and adaptability in mind.

A Twenty-Five Year Partnership
Two and a half decades in the making, the San Antonio Humane Society’s Fredericksburg Road campus will soon be complete, and we at Alamo are profoundly grateful to have played a significant role in its development. Through changes in executive leadership and board makeup, the SAHS vision has remained steadfast. We believe the outcome shows that, over decades, we have rewarded our clients’ trust with sound planning guidance, innovative architecture, and expert project management – and, a whole lot of heart.

Award
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.

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Phase 1 Adoption Center courtyard: Landscaped interior courtyards let the buildings “breathe” – space for socialization allows easy circulation among the adoption areas; views out from within the buildings enhance wellbeing for both people and animals. Photo © Chris Cooper.

Phase 2, Leeu Naylor Medical Building: deep porch overhangs shade the visitor entry. The Naylor Building’s visitor areas and clinical spaces both benefit from generous windows, offering views out to the sky and landscape beyond. Photo © Matthew Niemann.