BDA Architecture: Building Design for Animals

10/03/2026

Designing a veterinary hospital material choices matter! 🐾 From high-traffic reception areas to specialized housing and kennels, every space demands the right balance of durability, sanitation, and comfort.

In our latest video, we break down the best choices, worst picks, and serviceable alternatives for veterinary flooring across every zone of the hospital. Whether you're planning a new build or a renovation, check it out to see what works best for staff, clients, and animal patients. 🏥✨

Full video on our YouTube page!

09/26/2026

In architecture the focus is on form, structure, and materials—but color is a powerful tool for shaping how a space feels. 🎨✨

With veterinary clinics and other animal care spaces it isn’t only about human color psychology, design choices must also take into consideration how animals are experiencing these spaces. 🐾

Dogs have dichromatic vision (seeing blues and yellows well, but struggling with reds and greens), while cats have a different color perception altogether, particularly at the red end of the spectrum. Relying on sterile whites or human-centric palettes can actually create visual stress.

Our latest article explores how "Mindful Design" color schemes can bridge the gap between human comfort and species-specific animal vision to create calmer, lower-stress spaces:

https://bdaarc.com/trending/article/the-role-of-color-in-design

09/23/2026

Welcome back to our series on Mindful Design: Designing for the Client Experience! 🐾

When designing veterinary hospitals and animal care facilities, the journey starts the moment a client pulls up to the building. Thoughtful planning can completely transform a potentially stressful visit into a smooth, welcoming experience for both pets and their people.

Swipe through to explore three key design strategies that elevate the client journey.

Ready to elevate your facility's client experience? Let’s talk about how thoughtful design can work for your practice. Drop us a line or reach out below!

09/22/2026

🚨 Breaking News: You don't want to miss what's happening in animal care design!

Stay ahead of the curve with BDA Trending, our exclusive newsletter dedicated to the latest in animal care facility design, insider project insights, and industry trends. Our next issue drops next Tuesday, September 29th, so make sure you're on the list! Whether you're planning a new shelter, a veterinary hospital, or just love seeing innovative spaces come to life, we've got you covered.

👉 Sign up today and get the inside scoop delivered straight to your inbox: https://eepurl.com/jaJjZk

09/19/2026

Welcome to Part 2 of this month’s Mindful Design series for veterinary and animal care facilities! 🐾

This week, we continue to focus on designing for the Client Experience.

How often do your clients feel like they are just "waiting" rather than "visiting"?

The routine visit doesn't have to be routine. When you design with a hospitality-first approach, you reduce anxiety for both the client and their pet long before they enter the exam room. We’re sharing a few key ways to elevate that experience, from connected comfort with charging stations to thoughtful amenities like coffee bars and leash hooks. ☕🐕

Check out this week's highlights and let us know: What is the single best amenity you've added to your lobby to make clients feel more at home?

09/16/2026

What happens when a thriving feline-only practice needs room to grow? 🐾

With September being Happy Cat Month, there's no better time to shine a project spotlight on the Albuquerque Cat Clinic! When Dr. Emily Walker needed to modernize and expand her clinic, she partnered with the BDA / CMP Inc, Construction Management Professionals design-build team for an incredible two-phase journey.

From transforming an active retail storefront practice into a serene feline sanctuary in Phase 1, to doubling the footprint by expanding into the adjacent space in Phase 2, this project is a true testament to smart, stress-free design. Think specialized comfort rooms with private exits, floating perches in exam rooms, custom boarding condos with a view, and a dedicated dental suite designed to keep our feline friends purring! 🐈‍⬛✨

Read the full story on how we brought this vision to life:

https://bdaarc.com/trending/article/albuquerque-cat-clinic

09/09/2026

A client’s experience at your veterinary hospital begins the moment they step through the door. 🐾

Part 1 of this month’s Mindful Design series focuses on Sensory Design—how intentional choices in sound, air quality, and lighting can transform a high-stress visit into a calm, welcoming environment for pets and their owners alike.

Swipe through to see how acoustic controls, dedicated HVAC zones, and calming illumination work together to elevate care! ➡️

📞 Ready to rethink your space? Contact BDA today to connect with our design team.

09/04/2026

Hard work in progress! 🛠️🐾

Before we take a weekend to rest, we wanted to share a quick look at some of the incredible project sites currently under construction across the country:

📍 Veterinary Neurological Center (Phoenix, AZ) – Building an updated space for leaders in specialized pet neurology and neurosurgery, ensuring pets receive the highest quality advanced medical care. Construction by: Alexander Building Company, Inc.

📍 Guiding Eyes for the Blind (Yorktown Heights, New York) – A new canine health and wellness center for this inspiring non-profit! Guiding Eyes trains and pairs world-class guide dogs with individuals who are blind or visually impaired, and this new space will support these amazing dogs throughout their journey. Construction by: Turner Construction Company

📍 Brenham Veterinary Hospital (Brenham, TX) – Creating a modern home for a multi-species practice offering compassionate care for small animals, horses, and livestock, plus premier boarding services! Construction by: J.A. Greene Construction Services, LLC

✨ Office Closure Notice: In honor of Labor Day, our office will be closed this Monday so our team can enjoy time with family and friends. We’ll be back to work Tuesday morning!

08/29/2026

Good things grow! 🐾💙

Back in 2011, BDA Architecture helped Charleston Veterinary Referral Center transform an old furniture store into a state-of-the-art specialty hospital—a project that won the 2012 Hospital Design Award for Best Building Conversion! 🏆

Now, CVRC has officially opened its massive new expansion, and we couldn’t be prouder to have partnered with them again to bring this vision to life. The newly expanded hospital doubles the size of the original facility, offering even more space, advanced equipment, and comfortable care areas for pets and their families.
Check out the video to see CVRC's evolution from 2011 to today! 🎥👇
https://youtu.be/q4oAx2-WlkQ

📷 Photos by: MJ Green (2011 Project) & Kris Decker/ Firewater Photography (Expansion)

From a retail building conversion to a premier specialty and emerge...

08/28/2026

On National Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day, we hold space for every beloved pet who has brought light, unconditional love, and joy into our lives. 🐾🌈

End-of-life care is one of the most delicate experiences a pet family and veterinary team will ever navigate. While we can’t take away the pain of saying goodbye, intentional architectural design can help offer privacy, comfort, and peace during life’s hardest moments.

Comfort rooms (also known as serenity or bereavement suites) move away from cold, clinical environments. By incorporating residential furnishings, soft ambient lighting, soundproofing, and private exterior exits, these spaces allow families to focus on honoring their bond in a quiet, dignified setting.

Today, we remember all the companions who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge. They leave prints on our hearts that last forever. ❤️