Winnipeg Humane Society and Number TEN Architectural Group work together
For more than a century, the Winnipeg Humane Society has had a vision of a community where all living creatures are afforded the protection they need; and the respect they deserve. On October 5, 2007 the Humane Society thanked its donors for helping to create a truly remarkable new home to achieve that vision.

The Winnipeg Humane Society along with the design team of Number TEN Architectural Group of Winnipeg and George Miers and Associates have built the first environmentally sustainable animal shelter in Canada, recognized by the Canadian Green Building Council with LEED Gold certification. The ‘green’ design framework of LEED® took on an extra level of complexity to consider the human and animal interaction within the building. It was of fundamental importance that throughout the integrated design process, the primary consideration for every discipline be the comfort and well being of the animals. Concern for disease control, behaviour management and the overall physical and emotional health of the animals were issues that drove many of the design decisions.

Built to handle more than 10,000 animals annually, the 4,000 square metre facility is located on an urban site. A densely wooded lot has been maintained across much of the property, extending deep into the neighbouring community. The project conveys a warm and comfortable atmosphere in which healthy animals wait anxiously to be adopted, while inspiring compassion in the people who are there to find the newest addition to their family.

The Winnipeg Humane Society has traditionally made strong connections to the community. The new facility has been designed to enhance its ability to make these connections including: veterinary services, adoption counselling, community education and programs that integrate domestic animal services with social services for the elderly and abused youth. The concept of connection that is so central to the philosophy of the Humane Society at a programmatic level became an important guiding principle in the physical layout of the new facility.

At an urban scale, the site connects to its neighbourhood with the extension of exiting sidewalks, pedestrian and bike pathways, providing places for people to walk their pets, as well as introducing a focal point destination along the existing path network. On a vehicular level, Winnipeg Transit was consulted and has agreed to locate a new public transit stop near the building’s front entrance. These connections not only provide an amenity enhancement for the surrounding community, but will encourage visitors and staff to consider alternate transportation, a principle of the sustainable design strategy.

The secondary components of the facility branch out from the Adoption Gallery. Animal Receiving and the Veterinary Clinic also have direct access to the front courtyard. The Education Wing has an immediate relationship to an outdoor classroom that will animate the front of the building while providing a location for demonstrations and other programs that are able to engage the pedestrian activity in the plaza. The Animal Holding areas, where animals are kept until they are healthy enough to be placed for adoption are located adjacent to the forest, providing direct access to outdoor exercise yards as well as the walking paths throughout the site.

See the Winnipeg Humane Society in our 'Projects' section
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