FINAL - JDDK Millmount News Summer Edition 2025 DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 18
T H E D E L I V E RY
Boosting technical
excellence and team
retention
Design that delivers commercial
success for veterinary practices
Nicky Watson,
RIBA, Director at JDDK Architects
A successful veterinary space isn’t just about
top-tier clinical care – it’s about creating an
environment that works for everyone who steps
through the door. From anxious pet owners to
hardworking veterinary teams, a well-designed
facility needs to balance ef昀椀ciency, comfort, and
functionality.
At JDDK, we specialise in designing veterinary spaces that
support both animal well-being and business success. By
focusing on intuitive layouts, stress-reducing environments,
and seamless work昀氀ow integration, we help veterinary
practices operate smoothly while enhancing the client,
patient and staff experience.
Here, we explore how our people-and-pet-centred approach
creates veterinary spaces that are not only welcoming and
effective but also commercially sustainable.
DWR, Cambridge
18 Millmount. Summer 2025.
DWR, Cambridge
Essential design considerations
for pets and their people
At JDDK, we design veterinary practices and referral hospitals
with people and animals in mind equally. A well-designed
veterinary space isn’t just about clinical ef昀椀ciency; it’s about
reducing stress for pets, creating a welcoming and calming
experience for owners, and ensuring that staff can work
effectively. Our approach considers everything from work昀氀ow
and hygiene to natural light, soundproo昀椀ng, and staff welfare,
all of which contribute to a practice’s long-term commercial
success.
A key part of veterinary design is zoning – making sure that
different functions within the practice are clearly separated.
Public areas, like reception and waiting rooms, should feel
welcoming and calm, while also being distinct from clinical
areas. We will always advise our clients to design in separate
waiting areas (and ideally separate consulting and treatment
rooms) for dogs and cats because many animals are already
anxious when they arrive, and keeping species apart helps
reduce their, and their owners’, stress.
