FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kitchener, ON — mcCallumSather has completed the Conestoga College Animal Care Centre at the Doon Campus, an adaptive reuse project that reimagines a former electrical and robotics training facility as a purpose-built environment for veterinary and animal care education.
mcCallumSather provided both architectural and mechanical engineering services for the project, enabling close coordination between space planning, environmental systems, and long-term building performance from the earliest stages of design.
Developed to support new Veterinary Technician, Veterinary Assistant, and Pet Grooming programs, the project responds to growing regional workforce demand while working within the constraints of an occupied academic campus. Rather than pursuing new construction, Conestoga chose to extend the life of an existing building, aligning educational expansion with operational, financial, and sustainability priorities.
Located within the ATS Engineering Complex, the original facility was highly compartmentalized and technically dated, offering limited daylight, flexibility, or spatial clarity. Through a collaborative planning process involving academic leadership, facilities management, and veterinary advisors, mcCallumSather guided the transformation of the building into a transparent, hands-on learning environment that reflects contemporary pedagogy and regulatory requirements.
The design is organized around a new central atrium that brings daylight deep into the floor plate and establishes a shared academic and social heart for the facility. Teaching, diagnostic, and collaboration spaces are arranged around this core using a “science on display” approach, allowing learning processes to remain visible and connected across the building. Specialized clinical, diagnostic, and grooming environments support both simulation-based instruction and live-animal activity, while remaining adaptable for future program evolution.
Mechanical systems were designed in tandem with the architectural transformation to support the specialized requirements of animal care education while improving long-term performance. A hybrid system combining air-source and water-to-water heat pumps provides heating, cooling, and domestic hot water, supported by high-efficiency energy recovery and advanced humidification strategies. Targeted envelope improvements further enhance thermal performance and indoor air quality, positioning the facility for future electrification as campus infrastructure evolves.
Delivering the project within an active campus required careful phasing and close coordination with contractors and operations teams to maintain continuity and safety throughout construction.
For mcCallumSather, the Animal Care Centre serves as a case study in how integrated design can help institutions modernize complex learning environments responsibly.
“This project reflects how we work with clients to navigate complexity,” said Liam Brown, mcCallumSather. “Providing both architectural and mechanical engineering services allowed our team to align spatial, technical, and operational decisions from the outset, supporting Conestoga’s academic goals while improving building performance and long-term flexibility.”
The completed facility now serves as a visible hub for applied health and science education on campus, offering students a highly technical yet welcoming environment that supports both learning and community engagement.
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Media Contact
Alicia Giammaria
Senior Public Relations and Communications Manager
mcCallumSather
aliciag@mccallumsather.com
www.mccallumsather.com
