Harbor Animal Shelter

Client:  City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Engineering, Architectural Division

Project Location:  San Pedro, CA

The Harbor Animal Shelter is  a new 23,500 square foot community services center that replace an outdated animal shelter in the city of San Pedro.

Services provided at the shelter include animal control; pet adoption; dog licensing and microchip implantation; animal training; and a busy volunteer program.

The shelter is designed to be welcoming, comfortable and engaging for the members of the public who visit the center.  Upon entrance, visitors recognize points of interest including an aviary exhibition cage, several “getting acquainted” petting yards and an exotic animal viewing area.  Facilities within the shelter include public reception, animal training classroom and yard, 75 indoor and outdoor dog kennels, and indoor cat shelter with display area, and an animal hospital and spay/neuter clinic.

The building is pursing LEED Silver rating.  Sustainable elements and strategies to reduce the building’s environmental footprint include orientation to control exposure to the sun and wind; daylighting, passive cooling, gray water system, photovoltaics for electrical generation, native landscaping, and use of renewable and recycled materials.  Landscaping throughout the center include plants indigenous to the local micro-climate and several large trees that provide natural cooling and shade.