Mars Petcare, an ever-growing global segment of Mars, Incorporated, is the world's leading authority on pet care and pet nutrition. With rfa as a consulting architectural firm for animal care design services, Mars aimed to build its new U.S.-based corporate headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. A primary focus was the Pet Health and Nutrition Center (PHNC), one of many buildings that comprise an entire corporate research and development campus. The PHNC includes housing for both dogs and cats as well as research facilities to develop nutritional pet foods that are of the best possible quality. Dedicated professionals care for the dogs and cats that live within the facility at the highest standards, contributing to world-class research in pet nutrition and pet health. The dogs are housed in circular cottages linked together as a communal village fanning out from the central building. Each dog has access to multiple outdoor exercise runs and yards, encouraging ample socialization. Cats are housed on the upper level of the PHNC building, with communal cat playrooms that incorporate abundant natural light and outdoor terraces. At Mars, both dogs and cats are treated as part of a very large family, an idea that was central to the philosophical approach to creating such homes for them. The new facility serves as a flagship for all other Mars headquarters located around the world.