Trending

BDA Partner Paw-Files: Becky Gasser

The Origin Story

Becky's path to the top of the animal architecture world didn't start in a boardroom; it started in a kennel. While studying architecture in college, she worked at a doggie daycare. Surrounded by wagging tails and the unique chaos of animal care, she realized her two greatest passions—design and dogs—didn't have to be separate.

When it came time for her senior thesis, Becky didn't choose a traditional skyscraper or a residential block. She chose to design a dog facility. In her research, she reached out to specialized firms across the country, and one name stood out: BDA Architecture. After a series of conversations with Paul Gladysz, one of the firm's Senior Partners, Becky wrote her thesis, received her degree, and landed an internship with BDA. She packed her bags and moved from California to New Mexico in 2010 and began her journey towards becoming an expert in animal care architecture.

Climbing the Ladder

Over the next 16 years, Becky worked her way through every level of the firm—moving from Intern to Project Manager, then Director of Design, and finally, Partner. This "climb" gave her a front-row seat to the specialized complexity that BDA brings to every project.

"When it comes to the veterinary world, it's very complicated and you really have to have the experience and knowledge and background that we have in order to design a facility where all of those components work together," Becky says, regarding the intricacies of veterinary architecture in comparison to human healthcare.

This is where the BDA difference shines. Becky and her team don't just "draw buildings"; they solve the puzzle of how humans and animals coexist. This includes:

• Medical Standards: Designing facilities that are highly medical, professional, and provide for the the health and safety of the animals and staff.


• Operational Excellence: Using programming questionnaires early on to balance a client's "world-sized" dreams with their budget reality—saving time and preventing costly "value engineering" later.


• Design for the Client: With projects across the nation and internationally, BDA remains versatile, designing specifically for the client's unique needs and regional location.

The "Puppy Academy" & The Future

When asked about her favorite projects, Becky points to "Dogs, Inc.," specifically their specialized birthing center called The Grant & Shirle Herron Puppy Academy. It represents the perfect BDA project: a balance of high-level medical facilities for whelping mothers and puppies, mixed with "whimsical" design elements that create a fun, welcoming experience for the public.

"We were creating more of an experience than we were building it," Becky says, " …all of the standards of high care that we see in veterinary hospitals, along with this just whimsical side of puppies, and getting to play with puppies, and the public being able to come in and play with puppies."

Looking ahead, Becky is most excited about the rise of "Boutique" veterinary hospitals—specialized, personal spaces that allow for creative, very personalized designs that reflect a doctor's specific medical niche.

Designing for the Best Things in Life

Sixteen years after that initial move, Becky's life is fully intertwined with BDA. Every day her work centers on her two passions: animals and design.

"I think animals and people coexisting, cohabiting, is one of the best things in life," Becky says. "And so, to get to design spaces that think of that and that accommodate that is really rewarding and really special."

For Becky, who has found a dream career in Building Design for Animals, the work isn't just about architectural drawings. It's about meeting the needs of the people and animals who use the spaces, guiding clients through the complex design process, and creating lasting personal connections.

And, of course, it's about the puppies.

View all trending »