RSPCA Cat & Small Animal Centre – Stages 1 & 2

Based on our lengthy experience in the animal welfare facility sector, Architecture Matters was engaged in 2021 by 4Dimensions Building Contractors to assist with the design and documentation of a new Cat & Small Animal (CASA) facility of approximately 1200m2 at the existing RSPCA site at Pearcedale as part of a $3mil. design and construction project.

The CASA aimed to enhance the organisation’s capacity to care for around 200 cats and small number of small domestic animals and reduce the time they take to adopt, while transforming the way people meet and interact with animals available for adoption to increase adoption rates.

Architecture Matters worked closely with 4Dimensions within a project management structure established by external project managers, Currie and Brown and were ultimately given leeway to work directly with RSPCA project management and operations staff through regular design meetings to ensure the resultant facility design reflected the detailed project brief and addressed some of the shortcomings identified with the original concept design.

Through a detailed understanding and judicious application of the requirements of the Code of Practice for the Management of Dogs and Cats in Shelters and Pounds (2011), a rigorous analysis of workflows, OH&S risks and RSPCA’s priorities based on a strong emphasis on improved cat accommodation and management, the broad introduction of daylight and outlooks for cats, opportunities for cat enrichment and human contact, disease control via cat condo-style accommodation and dispersed food prep and cleaning, and structured visitor management, we were able to test multiple design options with project stakeholders to arrive at a preferred design and deliver the final, highly-functional built outcome.