Driving this design is the Humane Society’s belief that a well-designed built environment, combined with an animal’s positive emotional health, leads to greater, more lasting adoptions. This project helped the non-profit transform into a welcoming, functional, safe and contemporary facility, where staff’s care for animals is efficient and prioritizes animals' needs over human’s wishes. 

The 11.5-acre site is a lush, pine flatwood environment, home to endemic plants and protected animals, like the Florida scrub jay and gopher tortoise. Protecting this oasis aligned with the organization’s mission of supporting the health and wellness of all forms of life and that creating enjoyable spaces inherently allows animals to find loving homes.

Functions were separated into distinct buildings, including dog kennels, cat pods, a clinic, and a community center, all arranged around dog play areas. This approach minimized the risk of disease spread, maximized daylight, allowed prevailing wind to flow through and between buildings, and provided shaded outdoor play areas.