PAWchitecture design-build pet furniture competition launches in Greenville to benefit Greenville County Animal Care

Nichols Architects partners with AIA Greenville, brings creative community together to make a difference

AIA Greenville, a local section of the South Carolina chapter of the American Institute of Architects, announced its inaugural PAWchitecture Greenville design-build competition benefitting Greenville County Animal Care’s Safety Net Foster Program. The competition will bring together local architects, designers, builders and students to create one-of-a-kind, high design dog houses and cat condos for bid in a community auction that will take place this fall.

Miami-based Nichols Architects brought the idea to Greenville after participating in PAWchitecture through the Miami Center for Architecture & Design in partnership with the Miami Chapter of AIA. “Through our work in South Carolina, we’ve come to know and love Greenville. The vibe and energy of the city has really drawn us in, and we’ve been looking for a way to integrate into the community that celebrates architecture and helps families in need,” said Igor Reyes, partner at Nichols Architects. “We’ve also learned that Greenville is a pet-loving place, and a very generous one, so we look forward to seeing how the community will come together in support of PAWchitecture.”

Local architecture firms A M King, Craig Gaulden Davis, Fathom Firm, KEEL Concepts and McMillan Pazdan Smith have assembled teams to participate in the competition. Those who would like to participate are invited to contact [email protected].

“We are so excited to launch PAWchitecture in Greenville,” said Catherine Knight, design leader with A M King and past president of AIA Greenville. “There is a strong architecture community here, and PAWchitecture is a great way for us to use our creativity to help families and pets in need. We’ve got some tremendously talented teams participating, so I can’t wait to see the finished structures – they’re sure to be works of art.”

Pet houses will be displayed at Auro Hotels’ Hyatt Regency at 220 North Main St. in downtown Greenville October 13 – 30, 2023. Proceeds from the auction will be presented to Greenville County Animal Care at a celebration event in November.

Companies sponsoring the initiative include Alice Company, Auro Hotels, Britt, Peters and Associates, MGC Law, Nichols Architects and Traveling Chic Boutique. Others interested in sponsoring the event can contact [email protected].

“Greenville County Animal Care is so grateful to AIA Greenville, Nichols Architects and our generous sponsors for bringing PAWchitecture to Greenville,” said Paula Church, Community Relations Coordinator at Greenville County Animal Care. “Funds raised by this initiative will help us continue caring for pets of families in crisis, helping us further our mission to promote the compassionate treatment of animals in our community.”
For more information on PAWchitecture, visit aiagreenville.org/events or contact [email protected].

About AIA Greenville
AIA Greenville, the local section of the South Carolina chapter of the American Institute of Architects, is a professional membership organization advocating for architects, designers and students. With more than 300 members throughout Upstate South Carolina, we offer an array of programs and events including continuing education, local advocacy, networking, and raising awareness among the public about the value of the work of architects and design in our communities. For more information, visit https://aiagreenville.org.

About Greenville County Animal Care
Greenville County Animal Care is dedicated to promoting the compassionate treatment of animals in our community through adoption, education, and affordable spay/neuter and veterinary care. We have the largest, most diverse selection of adoptable pets in the Upstate, and our innovative programs and partnerships continue to strengthen our no-kill community for animals.

About Nichols Architects
Nichols Architects is a leading Miami architecture firm specialized in creating iconic hospitality, commercial, and residential projects that inspire wonder and shape communities. Founded in 1967, its vision and building expertise have influenced the transformation of Miami’s modern architectural aesthetic and cemented our legacy of innovation in the region.

For over 50 years, Nichols Architects’ vision and building expertise have influenced the transformation of Miami’s modern architectural aesthetic and cemented its legacy of innovation in the region. The firm’s work has been internationally recognized in the planning and architectural design of mixed-use centers and world-class hotels and resorts, as well as high-end residential, commercial and retail.

Nichols Architects’ project experience includes resort and urban hotels, condo hotels, office buildings, high-rise residential, retail facilities and mixed-use developments which are located throughout the United States, the Caribbean and Bahamas, Central America, South America and Mexico.

About PAWchitecture
PAWchitecture is a design/build initiative of the of the Miami Center for Architecture & Design in partnership with the Miami Chapter of the American Institute of Architects that brings together architects, designers, and builders to create one-of-a-kind pet furniture by professional and student teams. AIA Greenville and Nichols Architects have brought the concept to our community where proceeds will be supporting Greenville County Animal Care’s Safety Net Foster Program.