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Virginia Tech

Humane Architecture to Befriend the Animals we Live with: Animal Shelter in beautiful Alexandria, Virginia

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This thesis is a study of architecture on how to improve the life of homeless animals through strengthening the relationship between us, humans and the animals we live among. There are millions of shelter animals being killed every year which is both dreadful and expensive. This number can be decreased greatly if people acted more responsibly towards the creatures they have domesticated. It is true that most people enjoy taking care of animals, they usually feel a strong emotional connection with them, specially those who share their homes with their pets. The problem is that many find the animal shelters a depressing place filled with sick unwanted animals. How can we, design professionals, encourage people to interact more with animal shelters? How can the design affect both physical and emotional health of these animals? Can architecture raise awareness about the creatures in our urban civilization? This project explores a few design approaches that can teach people about shelters and urban animals and how physically different we are from them. The building is also a study of an animal shelter as a system that can improve their day-to-day life to become healthier and happier. It is proposed that these architectural changes would aid the adoption rate as well as creating a happier pet and owner.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Architecture
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Architecture
Department dc:contributor.department
Architecture
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2018

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Mostafavi, Anahita
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Emmons, Paul F.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C.
  • Feuerstein, Marcia F.

Subjects

dc:subject × 7

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:14264
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/82236

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Mostafavi, Anahita. Humane Architecture to Befriend the Animals we Live with: Animal Shelter in beautiful Alexandria, Virginia. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/82236