Hale County had a legal obligation to provide an animal shelter for the county but had no resources to build it.  In 2005, Hale County representatives approached Auburn’s Rural Studio and requested that they design and build this shelter.

Four Rural Studio architecture students completed the shelter as part of their 2005-2006 Thesis Project.  They designed the building, obtained the required building materials, raised cash donations (around $100,000) to pay for building costs, and constructed the animal shelter.

The open-ended design of the building allows a steady flow of air, ventilation, and natural light.  The outer wall of the building is raised off the ground using custom-designed steel legs anchored to concrete footings which allows additional ventilation.  Three Plexiglas-banded openings in the aluminum shell allow additional light into the building.  Incorporated into the concrete floor is a radiant heating system that helps keep the animals warm during the winter.

The Hale County Animal Shelter is located beside Highway 14 approximately two miles northwest of downtown Greensboro, AL (GPS coordinates 32.718084, -87.620507)

Source:  Rural Studio

Photographs courtesy of RuralSWAlabama.