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Building Design for Animals
Blue Cross Animal Clinic
Overlooking the city with the gorgeous Sandia Mountains for a backdrop, Blue Cross Animal Clinic is a brand-new, award-winning veterinary hospital with a spectacular image.
With several practices across the city and just outside of it, Dr. Ashlee Andrews and the Los Sueños Veterinary Group provide veterinary care to pets around the city of Albuquerque and the state. BDA Architecture and our in-house construction team CMP, Inc. first provided design-build services to Dr. Andrews to renovate and update a couple of her existing practices. When it came time to address Blue Cross Animal Clinic, a very busy general practice in a too small and outdated space, the decision was made to go ground-up and a brand-new hospital was designed and built.
Just off the freeway and near the Big-I interchange in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the site chosen for Blue Cross Animal Clinic provided access and visibility from the City’s major roadways while also granting a very picturesque image. The glass and stone façade of the new building both stands out and fits right into the surrounding landscape.
Inside the building the stunning views and natural daylight are brought into the hospital through windows all around. Blue Cross was built to provide progressive modern medicine to its patients. There are 12 exam rooms within the clinic and 2 surgery suites (1 single table surgery and 1 dual-table surgery). Central to the medical spaces is a 4-workstation treatment and ICU with a glass enclosed “fishbowl” DVM station overlooking the entire area. Off to the side in its own nook is a 3-station dental area, and outside of the treatment there are an imagining suite, a lab and pharmacy, and a special procedures room.
Staff spaces include offices and a large conference room with quite a scenic view to the outside. The staff room was designed with employee wellness considerations in mind and includes a quiet room, recreation spaces and comfortable furniture for staff downtime.
In 2024, it was announced that Blue Cross Animal Clinic had won the Hospital Design 360 Competition Hospital of the Year award in the Larger than 8,000 SF category. Recognized for the quality and uniqueness of their layout, the décor in the hospital, and the amenities and spaces that serve staff, clients and patients, Blue Cross Animal Clinic was one of 3 grand prize winners honored in a ceremony at the Fetch Kansas City Conference.
Moving from their old building to a brand-new facility Blue Cross Animal Clinic was looking for a hospital that would meet their current and future needs. Sitting atop a grand view, this new hospital is beautiful, functional, and built to last.
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