Aiken Animal Shelter

The Aiken Animal Shelter is an 11,000 SF new facility to house County animal and public adoption services for a base capacity of 150 animals with the ability to increase capacity during peak times. Functional spaces include office, meeting, and dispatch areas for County officers and employees, along with clinical, euthanasia, and surgery suites. The floor plan also includes laundry and grooming spaces.

Efficiency of the floor plan is critical for the workflow of day-to-day operations, to maintain budget constraints, and to create a healthy shelter for the animals. The current scheme locates the two primary functions, County intake and Adoption in “wing buildings” which allow for natural light and access to the outdoors for all dog runs. The wing buildings are linked by a central spine, running through a main building which houses all shared support space. Between the narrow buildings are courtyards, which can be used for dog walking, “meet and greet” space during the adoption process, and staff or public recreation.

The overarching goal of the design is to encourage adoption and public interest in animal welfare by creating an inviting and welcoming atmosphere.