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Building Design for Animals
BDA Partner Paw-files: Colin Campbell
He has steered multiple award-winning veterinary design projects. He has been selected as an elite Little League World Series umpire an incredible three times. Yet, BDA Partner Colin Campbell still best describes himself by his core passion: the ultimate "nuts and bolts guy."
For some architects, the thrill is in the flashy initial sketch or the dramatic artistic render. But for BDA Partner Colin Campbell, the real magic happens when it's time to figure out how a complex design actually stands up. Self-described as the firm's "technical architect," Colin is the "nuts and bolts guy" that translates big design dreams into precise, buildable reality.
"I've been more focused in my career on the technical part of architecture." Colin says, going on to add a line of wisdom from his father, also an architect, "Every line on a sheet of paper needs to mean something."
Born to Build
Colin's journey to architecture began early. Born and raised just outside Albuquerque on a farm in Corrales, New Mexico, he grew up with horses, cattle, and acres of alfalfa. But building was always the family business.
His late father was C. Robert Campbell, FAIA, a legendary figure in regional and national architecture. In addition to being a cornerstone of the New Mexico architectural community—even co-authoring the major modern revisions to the New Mexico Architectural License Act—Robert served as the national President of NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) from 2002 to 2003. He was a master of the technical, precise side of the craft, and later in his career, he even brought his massive wealth of knowledge to BDA as a firm consultant.
Colin grew up absorbing that exact master-builder mindset, playing with Lincoln Logs and Girder and Panel building sets, then eventually learning AutoCAD in high school. In fact, back when Colin was still learning the software, he used to call his dad's office for technical advice from a young draftsman on staff. That draftsman? His own brother, Sean Campbell—now president of BDA's sister company, CMP, Inc.
After earning both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Architecture from the University of New Mexico Colin spent his early career learning the ropes alongside his dad. In 2002, a casual conversation with the BDA founders led to a prompt to submit his resume. He turned it in the very next day, and 24 years later, the rest is history.
The BDA Difference: Translating Vision into Reality
In his daily work with BDA, Colin bridges the gap between creative concept and the construction site, specializing in navigating the maze of local building codes, zoning ordinances, and regional challenges across the country. This is where the BDA difference shines, anchored by Colin's technical expertise and rigorous work ethic. Colin and the team don't just hand over a pretty design; they ensure it functions seamlessly from day one. This includes:
- Constructibility & Problem-Solving: Taking complex, innovative design concepts and translating them into precise, highly detailed plans. Colin's focus ensures that contractors have a clear roadmap, preventing costly misinterpretations and delays during construction.
- Code & Zoning Mastery: Navigating the labyrinth of local building codes, municipal rules, and zoning ordinances across the United States. Whether it's designing for earthquake resilience in California or hurricane safety in Florida, BDA ensures every project is fully compliant and structurally optimized for its specific environment.
- Honoring the Client's Dream: Bridging the gap between the initial inspiration and the physical structure. BDA works diligently to keep the integrity of the client's design intact while respecting the hard boundaries of local regulations, budget, and physical law—ensuring the final product is what the client envisioned.
Fulfilling Dreams in Virginia Beach
That passion for technical problem-solving and client satisfaction was recently on display with one of Colin's favorite projects to date: a small animal hospital and boarding facility for Dr. Watson in Virginia Beach, which wrapped up construction last year.
"Those clients came from a really small practice," Colin shares. "This larger facility was their dream, and seeing their dream being fulfilled, and their excitement about that, was really satisfying."
For Colin and the BDA team, the ultimate goal of an animal care space is to instantly build trust through design. "It's knowing for the [pet] owners that they're walking into a space where they are comfortable with the built surroundings, and knowing that the people that work there are going to take good care of their animals."
Beyond the Building: Called to the World Series
When he isn't solving complex concept to construction riddles at the office, you can likely find Colin out on a baseball diamond. He is deeply passionate about volunteering as a Little League baseball umpire—a dedication that has earned him one of the highest honors in the sport.
This coming August, Colin will be traveling to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, to umpire the Little League World Series for an incredible third time (having previously been selected in 2018 and 2021).
To put that in perspective, out of tens of thousands of Little League umpires worldwide, a selection committee only chooses 20 individuals each year based on rigorous evaluations and performance camps.
For Colin, the connection between the field and the office is simple: Service.
"To me, Little League is about serving the community," Colin says. "Which I also think, there's some aspect of that in what we do in our design niche. Serving the communities where we design these hospitals, helping those communities provide a service to the animals and their owners."
