Texas Architect Magazine: Animal Sanctuary

The award-winning Animal Sanctuary project is featured in the latest issue of Texas Architect Magazine.

Excerpt from feature below:

The 23,500-sf Animal Sanctuary is an animal adoption center and equestrian facility that focuses on the well-being of both animals and visitors. Located in a remote and rural area of Parker County, its 29-acre site is also home to a fully restored and revitalized orchard. The Animal Sanctuary is a multipurpose facility, providing temporary housing for animals, open daily for staff and visitors, and available to the community for activities such as classes, yoga, charity functions, and stargazing events. Sustainable building components are a driving factor in the overall design, with emphasis on natural lighting, rainwater collection, solar energy, and green roof construction. The overall facility consists primarily of mass timber construction. The Animal Sanctuary is a setting where a deeper level of healing can take place in those who need it most.

Jury Commentary:
“The long agricultural form seems strangely familiar and articulates the nature of the functions below. The proposal couples sustainable design solutions and poetic architectural elements of water, sound, light, and cross-ventilation that would bolster a healthy environment for animals and humans to experience.”

Voyage Dallas Magazine: Community Highlights: Meet Jeff Garnett of Jeff Garnett Architect

Thank you to Voyage Dallas Magazine for the interview!

Excerpt from interview below:

My passion for design and architecture emerged at a very young age. From the very beginning, I loved to draw and build with wooden blocks around our childhood home. I remember observing the details of my surroundings and analyzing (or overanalyzing) the built environment as a young child.

After finishing grad school, I worked at an architecture firm in Austin that allowed me to dive into the profession headfirst (sink or swim). They encouraged and tested my abilities daily with a wide range of tasks and responsibilities, which fast-tracked my design skillset and overall understanding of construction knowledge and the profession in general. I have always had a strong work ethic, but those guys really pushed me in such a positive way to keep evolving and keep climbing. It was the perfect place to learn both design and the technicalities of construction and I will forever be grateful for those years working in Austin.

I moved back to the Fort Worth area and started my architectural practice in 2016 and was fortunate to have acquired a few clients early on that trusted my design sense and overall vision. In our studio, we are constantly looking for ways to improve and evolve with each new design. We’ve had some great clients so far that embrace the design vision and understand the creative process. Our main objective is to provide each client with a built environment they can be at one with — a place to call home, a place for retreat, a place of purpose, a place of peace. 

Read the full interview here: Community Highlights: Meet Jeff Garnett of Jeff Garnett Architect - Voyage Dallas Magazine | Dallas City Guide

2022 AIA Fort Worth Studio Award

The Conservatory project received the 2022 AIA Fort Worth Studio Award.

The Conservatory is a privately owned property intended for both private and public use.  During certain months of the year, the property will be open to the public during the daytime and available to rent for overnight stay.  The Conservatory functions as both a retreat and nature center, encouraging guests to reconnect with the natural environment. 

Consisting of a 50-acre reservoir, nature trails, and various lodging, the facility will also be open to various wildlife groups for field visits and research.   A winding nature trail surrounds the reservoir, tying into the pathways bordering the lodge, casitas, and fishing pier.  Fishing conservation and management is an integral component of the reservoir, creating a healthy habitat for surrounding wildlife.  A bird blind tower (birdwatching, stargazing) is positioned along the trail for visitor access.  During various times of the year, the nearby university will utilize the trail system for educational purposes, focusing on wildlife research, sustainability, and ecosystem sciences.

The Conservatory is located on a private ranch in Erath County, just north of Stephenville and approximately 70 miles from Fort Worth.  An 80-acre solar farm is also located inside the ranch, approximately 1 mile away from the build site.  The monthly income generated from the solar energy production will ultimately fund the construction of The Conservatory.

2022 Texas Society of Architects Studio Award

The Animal Sanctuary project received the 2022 Texas Society of Architects Studio Award.

Thank you to Jurors Lisa Gray, FAIA, of Gray Organschi Architecture in New Haven, CT; Cade Hayes, AIA, of DUST in Tucson, AZ; and Clare Lyster of CLUAA in Chicago, IL.

Located at the edge of Weatherford in Parker County, Texas, the Animal Sanctuary is a 23,500 square foot structure which primarily functions as an animal adoption center and equestrian facility, focusing on animal well-being and visitors in need of healing.

The 29-acre site is located in a remote and rural area, approximately one mile from Hwy 51 and I-20.  Prior to development, the acreage consisted of an existing, abandoned pecan orchard which has since been fully revitalized and restored to function as a producing orchard.

The Animal Sanctuary acts as a multi-purpose facility, which is open on a daily basis to staff and visitors, while temporarily housing animals in need of adoption.  The facility is also open to the community for extracurricular events, such as charity functions, yoga, various classes, and stargazing events during certain times of the year.

Sustainable building components are a driving factor in the overall design, with emphasis on natural lighting, rainwater collection, solar energy and green roof construction.  The overall facility primarily consists of mass timber construction.

The Animal Sanctuary is not just for animals, but also a setting where a deeper level of healing can take place in those who need it the most.  

Shoutout DFW Interview: Meet Jeff Garnett | Architect

Thank you Shoutout DFW for the interview!

Excerpt from interview below:

Q. Hi Jeff, how do you think about risk?
A. Risks are required. Risk taking has shaped every chapter of my life both personally and professionally. Taking risks is not always easy or comfortable, but essential. Our “comfort zones” are great but can also make life much too stagnant. Plan accordingly, but take the risk.

My decision to create my own architectural practice was absolutely a risk — I took the risk because I ultimately wanted to pursue new ideas and test my design skill set to create buildings that were inspiring (both to myself and others). It really came down to those two things. I wanted to be free to design the types of projects I was specifically interested in and explore ideas which had been floating around in my head for several years.

Read the full interview here: Meet Jeff Garnett | Architect - SHOUTOUT DFW