Non-For-Profit Headquarters Design Project, ASPCA
Concept Statement
The secret to the survival of domestic animals is their connection to human beings, ASPCA’s goal is to reinforce that connection by providing effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals
throughout the United States.
Client Description
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, was established in 1866 by Henry Bergh on the basis of the belief that “animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans, and must be protected under the law”. Today, the ASPCA is one of the biggest humane societies in the world. Its headquarters is located in New York City and has a strong local presence with anti-cruelty missions across the world. The ASPCA is organized as a national animal welfare organization, and is a privately funded non-for-profit organization.
Design Narrative
To bring the essence of ASPCA into this scheme, one of the most important values of the organization was considered, the connection between humans and animals. The parti was developed based on the word “connection” and its literal meaning.
This scheme was designed on the basis of perimeter planning, a classic approach to workplace design, which places fixed enclosed spaces along the architectural perimeter while open spaces are positioned toward the building core. The space is divided equally into primary workspaces and activity spaces.
