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Practice Name: The
London Cat Clinic
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Design Award for:
Best Conversion and Overall Winner
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Q1. What were you trying to achieve/what was your
overall goal?
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A1.
Our mission was to create a state-of-the-art single-species clinic in the
heart of London. We were aiming for a light, airy and spacious feel, designed
around the specific needs of cats and their carers. We wanted a calm
environment where cats could immediately feel relaxed, without the
distraction of barking dogs.
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Q2.
What were the 3 most important factors included in your practice design?
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A2.
i) Being a single-species practice was forefront in our design – everything
was designed for the comfort of cats! We designed bespoke accommodations
throughout the practice, exceeding ISFM Gold Standard in size and with tinted
glass for felines who like their privacy, in carefully designed and separate
areas such as the hospital, the day ward and the ICU. Our unique 'cat
cubbies' were created in the walls of the consult rooms with steps leading up
to them so our patients could find some privacy whilst they got used to their
surroundings, allowing them to be calmer and less stressed when we examined
them. We ensured there were no gaps or spaces in practice where cats could
jump and hide whilst exploring their surroundings.
ii)
Natural light and appropriate ventilation were also an important factor. We
have all worked in dark, poorly lit, overheated/underheated practices and we
were focused on that not being the case at The London Cat Clinic. Letting natural light flood the practice
from the front and back was crucial in creating the light, bright feel we
wanted. All the consult rooms have an
opaque wall which allows in natural light, making the mood warmer and
less ‘sterile’.
iii)
The flow of the practice was also a real focus for us. We wanted the clinical
team and our clients to be able to move through the practice without bumping
into each other. We wanted a clean, contemporary feel to create a different
type of interaction based on openness and transparency. The rear of the
practice is a large, open clinical area that allows us to work on multiple
cases at the same time around the central workstation and have easy access to
our sterile theatre, ultrasound and X-ray whilst keeping a close eye on our
patients in the day-ward.
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Q3.
Did you use and architect? If not why not?
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A3.
A good architect is worth its weight in gold! We partnered with Jay Gort and
Paul Wild from Gort Scott, who were fantastic at turning our vision and wish
list into reality.
We
also used a specialist Project Manager, Alex Darvill from ACD Projects, from
those moments of tension between aesthetics and artistic vision and
practicality and feasibility!
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Q4.
Why did you decide to undertake the project?
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A4. Having spent time visiting feline-only practices in the US
and seeing how much the cats, owners and the veterinary team benefited from a
space devoted to these very particular souls combined with the increasing
popularity of cats as companions (particularly in cities) it just made more
and more sense that now was the time to build a large, high spec
future-proofed clinic in central London.
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Q5.
Did you keep within your budget? If not by what percent did you exceed your
budget?
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A5.
If you mean the original budget, the revised budget, the
'well-we-can't-stop-now' budget or the sleepless nights budget, then no. But
we did keep within the 'well-here-we-are-and-it's amazing' budget.
In
all seriousness we had the revised budget that was significantly more than we
had originally thought (but reflected the cost of the build in the location
and financial environment) that we stuck to (after some very intense value
engineering!!)
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Q6.
With hindsight, what would you do differently?
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A6.
Understand much earlier than we did that Grand Designs Syndrome would affect
us too, however much planning we did! Grand Designs syndrome is when you find yourself in exactly the
same position as those poor people in the TV programme. You know the ones I am
talking about – those who have conflict with their architect’s artistic
visions, the planning office is a faceless nightmare, run-ins occur with the
contractors and subcontractors who say one thing and do something else, the
project doesn’t come close to finishing on time, and the finished product
never comes in on budget. Even though we adamantly declared in front of the
TV “that would never happen to me”. It does and it did!
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Q7.
How has this changed your business?
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A7.
The Award came at just the right time for us. Being designated as an ISFM
Gold Standard Practice and then winning the Design Awards a few months later
gave us a fabulous boost.
Winning
the Best Conversion and Overall Winner helped put The London Cat Clinic on
the map!
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Q8.
What has winning the Design Award meant to you?
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A8.
I am so proud of winning this Award. Seeing the judges faces when they walked
around the practice was magic – that’s how I felt (and feel) as well.
The
fact they were so complimentary about the design, innovative addition and layout of our
practice which then lead to the Award is a fabulous vindication of the
emotional energy invested in building what is my dream practice.
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Q9.
Was the project very stressful? What was the most stressful situation?
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A9.
Aneurysm-inducing! The journey – from having an idea to actually opening a
bricks and mortar practice – is not for the faint-hearted as you don't know
what you don't know until your encounter it for the first time.
Probably
the most stressful moment was when we lost our first property days before we
were due to exchange – having spent a considerable sum of money on legal and
architect fees and many months of time, we were gazumped a few days prior to
exchange!
that,
every stage feels the most stressful at the time until you move until the
next phase – finding a building, getting funding, getting planning
permission, appointing partners and contractors, managing the project,
unforeseen costs and delays all have to be navigated and survived before you
even have a cat through the door!
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Q10.
What parts of the project went as you expected and what parts did not?
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A10.
I think the design elements did. When I see what we have created, it is
exactly what I envisaged and believe the cats are smiling back at us as they
enjoy this award-winning design.
The
biggest challenge was mobilising suppliers and the need for micro-management.
Don’t assume external suppliers will talk to each other to coordinate their
movements to allow the project to move forward smoothly – they don't!
Micro-manage,
micro-manage, micro-manage!
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Q11.
Did you use a project manager or did you manage the project yourself?
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A11.
We also used a specialist Project Manager, Alex Darvill from ACD Projects.
Alex’s no-nonsense approach was crucial to finding a balance between
builders, architects and us. Professional tension is apparently a very good
thing, which is good as we had it in spades.
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Q12.
Who were the main suppliers that you used?
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A12.
The fit out was managed by Bolt & Heeks and they appointed the
sub-contractors
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Q13.
What features are particularly important to you?
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A13.
The openness and lack of clutter in the client areas, the cat cubbies, the
flow of the clinical areas particularly the central prep areas when multiple
vets are working and the ventilation and lighting.
Specifically designed lighting and air conditioning
solutions throughout the whole practice has a significant impact on morale,
performance and my eyesight!
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Q14.
Are you and your staff pleased with the results?
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A14.
We are delighted with the results! It is a great place to work, a great place
to practice feline medicine and a great calm and contemporary place for cats,
for their nine lives and counting.
When
I saw the first cat make his way up into the cubbies and settle in I knew we
had done our job.
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Q15.
Are your clients pleased with the results?
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A15.
We have had lots of fabulous reviews from happy clients and our numbers are
growing every month. We are always having comments about how calm it is, how
much space there is. We offer tours of the clinic, so clients can see where
their loved friends will be spending time with us with is really well
received.
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Q16.
What tips do you have for others contemplating a building /refurbishment
project?
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A17.
Go into it with your eyes wide open; there will be surprises on the way. Have
a contingency and a contingency for the contingency as well as a great
relationship with your bank or in-laws.
Make
sure your design is future-proofed; this is not a project to be undertaken
regularly.
Keep
the faith that it will all be worth it in the end; it is!
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