San Diego Humane Society Adoption Center
San Diego
Merit Award
Sent by: COAR Design Group
Owner: San Diego Humane Society
Main design company: COAR Design Group
General contractor: Johnson and Jennings
Civil Engineer: Delane Engineering
Structural Engineer: Orie2 Engineering
MEP Engineer: McParlane and Associates
Electrical Engineer: EXP
Signage design: Graphic Solutions
The $11.4 million remodeling and expansion of this adoption center offers innovative housing for dogs, cats and small animals, as well as support spaces and outdoor adoption areas.
The main goals of the Adoption Habitats remodeling included maximizing the quality of the animals’ habitats, creating a flexible design that adapts to the changing needs of the facility, and integrating technology to improve the efficiency of operations and enhance the guest experience. Proper ventilation and drainage helped create a clean and healthy environment, and the use of Solatubes helped maximize natural light. A design aid delivery method contributed to a collaborative environment during design and construction. Early contractor involvement and subcontractor input helped drive several decisions, one of which was detailing the walls separating adjacent dog habitats. To create a safe and healthy environment for dogs, these walls had to be durable and cleanable. The chosen design can withstand frequent thorough washing and includes concrete curbs on each wall in and around the dog habitats, water-resistant plasterboard and continuous PVC cladding.
