Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
Duchess of Cornwall Intake Kennels
Old Windsor, Berkshire
Completed in Spring 2020, this is a 1,000m2 (10,750ft2) new-build kennels building and intake centre at the Charity's Old Windsor site.
Surrounded by mature trees and built on Green Belt land, this building takes a contextual approach to it’s surroundings by blending in within the landscape.
The kennels are separated into four blocks, each housing 6 dogs to reduce the spread of infection. An ISO block is also provided with 3 kennels, each with a run and access to a dedicated secure paddock. There is a separate Maternity and Puppy unit at the south end of the site which contains 4 large sub-divisible kennels. The total capacity is therefore 31 dogs.
Kennels face out to an external paddock to the east and a planted retaining wall and slope above to the west. External runs are visually separated by solid walls to reduce stress in dogs, and are protected from external elements by overhanging eaves to improve comfort.
Paddocks, surfaced in artificial turf with areas of sand and bark, will incorporate sensory enrichment for dogs in the form of tunnels, mounds and agility equipment. The design of the proposed kennel blocks with the double pitched roof form was determined by the desire to provide natural ventilation and light to the kennel blocks.
This building was officially opened by the Duchess of Cornwall in December 2020.
“Our new Duchess of Cornwall Kennels at our Old Windsor centre are our finest yet. They provide state of the art accommodation for dogs arriving at the centre, with accompanying veterinary, exercise and support spaces plus a dedicated maternity unit for puppies. The design not only meets our strict functional and animal welfare requirements but includes a host of new features to enhance the quality of care we can provide to our animals. The building blends beautifully into the parkland setting of the site and makes creative use of a challenging space.”
- Peter Laurie - CEO, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home