Feline & Family
Center for Connection
For my capstone I was focused on addressing care gaps in animal welfare, veterinarian offices, and grief therapy.
Issues:
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Limited care for individuals experiencing or who have experienced parental death/suicide or divorce.
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Creative therapies (Art, Play, Animal Assisted) show better outcomes than traditional methods (Balluerka et al., 2014).
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High negative outcomes for cats in shelters (Wagner et al., 2018).
Solutions:
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Create a mixed-use space for cat veterinary services, sanctuary, and Animal Assisted Therapy.
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Focus on theories that encourage the human animal bond (habitat theory, biophilia, enriched environments).
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Implement WELL and LEED strategies for environmental design:
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LEED: Material Ingredients, Low-Emitting Materials, Thermal Comfort, Acoustic Performance.
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WELL: Air, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind.
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Goals:
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Improve care for individuals through creative therapies.
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Enhance cat wellness and adoption rates by addressing sheltering issues.
Link to final presentation and program:
Location: Centennial CO. USA
CONTEXT COLLAGE
LOCATION OVERVIEW
Demographics: Average population age is 41.6 and the two largest ethnic groups are White and Hispanic.
Community: Strong emphasis on supporting citizens through government. Values family and homeownership. Well known for being safe and a great place for families or individuals.
History: Centennial was only officially incorporated in 2001, not many historic landmarks, however deKoevend park attached to the site is the city’s first decision to support families through natural recreation opportunities. The tragedy of Columbine High School ripped through this community, and houses the Columbine High School Memorial Historic Landmark.
Environment: Semi-arid, small creeks, reservoirs, and rolling hills. Views of Rocky Mountain Range and The Front Range. Common flora, pine trees, grasses and wildflowers.
Concept: Us and Cats
Concept Statement: People and cats have been interconnected from the start, cats are attributed to stories and myths like Noah’s Arc - where the cat was gifted rather than saved to help control the rodent populations, or the story of the pussy willow where the willow tree saved kittens from a river. No matter where you are in the world there are myths of cats, and there are also cats in need. My design will explore this past and take advantage of the mystical allure of the cat, and the magical qualities of the cat’s movements instilling magic as hope.
Parti Description: Us and Cats, being expressed through the idea of ‘cuddle’ where building functions embrace one another through curvilinear forms.
PARTI DIAGRAM
Evidence Based Design: Guidelines to Improve Healing Outcomes
GUIDELINE 1
Use ‘The colors of nature’ palette on interior finishes to connect users to natural systems.
GUIDELINE 2
Create sightlines and/or interactions with cats in each public space in the facility.
GUIDELINE 3
Manipulate sunlight to create beams, dynamic & diffuse, and refracted light.
GUIDELINE 4
Integrate ramps, stairs, lifts, and furniture to provide climbing opportunities, mimicking natural exploration methods. This verticality will link prospecting and refuge areas, fostering a gradient of naturalistic behavior expression.
GUIDELINE 5
Use a variety of textures and patterns to create non-rhythmic sensory stimuli & connect users to nature.
Floor Plans
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2/MEZZANINE
Building Functions:
Cat Sanctuary & Shelter
Veterinarian Care
Animal Assisted Therapy Services
Retail & Restaurant
Keeley’s Cat Cafe -> Coffee, Tea & Prepackaged Food
Rigby’s Feline Emporium -> Pet Supply Store
Forsberg’s Forest -> Cat Playground/Group Enclosure
Butters’ Kitty Garden -> Outdoor Group Enclosure
Tink’s Cat Adoption -> Typical Sheltering with improved holding spaces
Mama Cat Kitten Nursery -> Neonatal & other Kitten Care
Meowin’s Cat Sanctuary -> Semi-Private sheltering for Feral, Barn, & Unsocial cats
Kratos’ Cat Clinic -> Veterinarian Hospital Care
CLAW Therapy -> Cat (Lovers) Assisted Wellness
Building Spaces:
A continuation of the playground below, it allows for observation of the loud playful activities. Serves as a connection between individual housing and group housing.
