This tour explores the modern clinical and academic facilities of the NC State CVM campus, characterized by open-concept architecture and specialized student hubs.

The heart of the building consists of expansive, multi-story commons featuring red-slatted ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. Notable landmarks include a full-scale horse skeleton in the lower hall and a marine mammal skeleton suspended above the upper mezzanine lobby.

The Library Commons provides ergonomic workstations and modular seating for focused research. For group work, semi-enclosed “Huddle Pods” offer high-tech environments equipped with wraparound whiteboards, central conference tables, and digital monitors.

A state-of-the-art classroom designed for hands-on instruction. It features industrial acoustic ceilings and mobile, triangular desks on wheels, allowing the room to be instantly reconfigured for different workshop or lecture styles.

Wide hallways with classic brick flooring connect the various wings. These transition spaces are lined with student research displays and feature large, integrated aquariums built into the walls to create a calming atmosphere.

The Terry Companion Animal Center at NC State University is a high-volume veterinary teaching hospital designed for advanced diagnostics and emergency care. The facility features an open-concept layout with clinical-grade materials, bright LED lighting, and integrated technology for both patient care and student instruction.

The tour begins in the Central Treatment Ward, the primary workspace for veterinary technicians and students. This large, open room contains several stainless steel treatment islands equipped with anesthesia machines, oxygen lines, and monitoring equipment.

To the side, a Pharmacy and Lab station provides immediate access to medical supplies. It features high-capacity medical refrigerators for biologics and floor-to-ceiling shelving for pharmaceuticals. Workstations are placed throughout the room, allowing staff to update electronic medical records while maintaining a direct line of sight to their patients.

The center is equipped with specialized suites for non-invasive diagnostics:

• CT Suite: This room houses a large-bore CT scanner used for detailed internal imaging. The space includes specialized anesthesia rigs and oxygen tanks to manage patients while they are being scanned. A lead-lined window connects the suite to a control booth where technicians operate the software.
• Interventional Radiology (IR): This suite is used for minimally invasive procedures. It features a C-arm fluoroscopy unit and a central rack of six monitors that display real-time X-ray feeds.
• Surgical Prep: These areas are transition zones where patients are prepped for surgery under overhead surgical lighting.

The Intensive Care Unit and recovery areas are designed for 24-hour observation. One wall is lined with stainless steel and glass-fronted housing units. These units vary in size to accommodate different species and are often equipped with built-in oxygen support and mounts for IV pumps.

In these wards, clinicians in lab coats perform “rounds,” checking patient charts and adjusting treatment plans. The floor plan is wide enough to allow for the movement of mobile crash carts and heavy medical equipment without obstructing the flow of traffic.

As a teaching facility, the center includes spaces for academic collaboration. The Conference Room features wood-paneled walls and a large meeting table. Throughout the clinical areas, “Nursing Stations” provide a desk-like environment where students and faculty can collaborate without leaving the treatment floor.

The tour begins in the Client Waiting Area, a professional lounge with four brown leather armchairs and a blue area rug. This space serves as the transition point between the public and the clinical zones.

Beyond the lobby is the Main Logistics Hallway. This expansive corridor features high ceilings, industrial ventilation, and textured concrete floors with integrated drainage. Heavy-duty gray metal doors along the hallway lead to patient stalls and treatment areas, providing enough clearance for large animals and motorized equipment to move safely.

Clinical activity is centered in the Examination and Treatment Room. The floor is a non-slip terracotta red, and the center of the space contains a black metal stock—a stationary frame used to secure large animals for exams. Perimeter walls are lined with stainless steel counters and storage for medical supplies.

For advanced internal views, the facility uses a Diagnostic Imaging Suite. To accommodate large patients, a specialized CT scanner is paired with a heavy-duty hydraulic table. The table is fitted with a thick blue pad to support and position the animal as it is moved into the scanner.

Before entering surgery, animals are moved to an Induction and Recovery Stall. To prevent injury during the administration of anesthesia or while waking up, the walls are covered in thick red and gray safety padding. The floor consists of heavy-textured rubber mats for traction. An overhead hoist system is used here to lift and transport unconscious patients.

The Large Animal Operating Room is a sterile environment with white cinderblock walls and overhead skylights. The primary features include:

• A large, blue-padded hydraulic table capable of lifting several tons and tilting to various angles.
• Multiple articulated surgical lamps mounted on the ceiling for high-intensity focus.
• A large-scale ventilator and anesthesia machine positioned near the table for patient monitoring.

The facility is built for durability and sanitation. All flooring is either non-slip concrete, rubber or specialized tile to ensure animal safety. The integration of industrial-scale hardware with medical technology allows the hospital to function as both a high-volume clinic and a hands-on classroom for veterinary students.