Search

Islyn Studio Design for Bond Vet

My family really loves our vet (even if we joke about how they conspicuously bought solar panels for their roof soon after Mingus’ expensive double surgeries a few years back) — but we know it’s no secret that many dogs don’t love going to the vet. Brooklyn’s Bond Vet teamed up with Islyn Studio to design their first office (of many to come) with the goal of creating a space more welcoming and less anxiety-producing for dogs and cats (and their people, tbh). We love what came of their creative process. Here’s what Islyn Studio has to say about the project:

“With Bond Vet, Islyn Studio re-envisioned the animal healthcare space through the lens of compassionate hospitality, crafting an environment that anticipated pets’ — and their humans’ — every need. Working intimately with veterinarian Zaynab Satchu and paying close attention to animal psychology, we designed an empathetic, multi-sensory interior that utilizes pastel colors, tender touch points and calming scents to mitigate the stress and trauma often associated with vet’s offices. Calming colors like grays, corals and blues, soft materials for sensitive dog paws, organic shapes, curved, comfortable furniture and warm, recessed lighting help create a space that is soft, friendly and inherently functional. 

“Upon entry, cats and dogs are greeted with odorous treats, immediately grounding them in positive association. The open reception desk and seated iPad stations dissolve hierarchical levels and create free-flowing boundaries that mitigate nerves and prescribed movement. In the lobby, we built nooks of convertible seating, allowing pets to not have to sit within eyesight or scent of one another, yet flexible enough to host bi-monthly lectures, events and support groups for grieving pet-owners or veterinary doctors and technicians learning to cope with the often devastating aspects of their jobs. We designed staff break rooms and employed soft lighting, comfortable furniture and a kitchen stocked with healthy snacks to encourage moments of mindful rest in a profession with staggeringly high suicide rates. 

“We considered the functional priorities of the space, ensuring every material was durable and easy to clean, but never sterile. With an unexpected juxtaposition of colors, textures and layers, BondVet feels like you’re visiting a friend’s comfortable city home.”

What do you think of the design? Find out more at Bond Vet and Islyn Studio.

Photography: Read McKendree

Katherine, who lives with her family in the mountains of North Carolina, curated her own dog blog for a couple of years before joining the Design Milk team. If she ever won the lottery, she’d most definitely spend it all on live music & airfare to New York City. Other interests include craft beer, banjos, books, & BBQ.