Architects are so much more than the definition
Architect: ar•chi•tect | a person who designs buildings and advises in their construction.
You’ve made the huge decision to move ahead with your dream and remodel or build your practice. You have a ton of ideas in your head and the only way to move forward is to hire an architect, so you get online and start researching firms. But what makes a good architect, and even more specific, what is a good architect for you?
There are a ton of commercial architects out there, most with large portfolios of commercial projects…office buildings, schools, restaurants, and retail stores. But your building type is very unique. You have large HVAC demands, specialized equipment to consider, and durable finishes that can take the daily wear and tear of your clients and their needs. As veterinary architects, we understand these requirements and what is necessary to make your vision not only functional, but durable to withstand the rigors of animal care.
Specialized veterinary architect challenges
One of the biggest challenges is maintaining air quality within the building. Odors, moisture, and sterility are constant issues in older practices. As specialized veterinary architects, we have an understanding of how to mitigate odors, provide fresh air to areas such as boarding, and create positive pressures in rooms requiring sterile conditions. We’ve seen you gowned up for surgery and have listened as you tell us how hot it gets. So we design surgery suites with their own systems, to keep you cool while using powered filters to keep the room clean and contaminate free.
Your equipment is equally specific. A typical architect will likely not know what a wet table is, or stainless steel cages, or boarding runs. What do you need an oxygen generator for?? What is waste gas evacuation?? How much does a double surgery light weigh?? A veterinary architect can tell you all these things, plus hundreds of other details that seem like minutia but are critical in allowing an animal care facility to work optimally.
Your clients can be like children…adorable and loving, but dirty and messy. They bite, chew, and leave “presents” on all the building finishes. A typical architect may not have an understanding of what kind of paint, flooring, and even ceiling tile you require to withstand the abuse they are bound to take. As veterinary architects, we’ll discuss epoxy wall paint with you. We will show you the latest in medical grade sheet vinyls and luxury vinyl tiles (LVT), and which flooring surfaces are best in heavy wet areas such as boarding rooms and grooming spaces. It’s these critical finishes that help your building not only stay beautiful, but easy to clean and last for years.
Architects are a necessity to making your vision happen. But a veterinary architect on your team makes your job all the easier. We enable you to focus on your business as we put our experience to work and build you your future. Let’s work together.
