Mr Dalgleish said the brief was complicated because it involved removing three old houses to create the building site.
"It needed to be a functional design because it's on the town's main street not far from the retail area and has a McDonald's, a service station and a hardware store nearby.
"The clients wanted the building to stand out but at the same time retain some modesty," the architect said.
"Veterinary clinics are much more complicated buildings these days and very much like a hospital. This one had to incorporate two operating theatres."
A key feature of the building is the unique folded soffit that Mr Dalgleish created by using 3D computer modelling.
"It was great fun designing it actually and the result is amazing. It still has a lot of people scratching their heads wondering how we achieved it."
Mr Dalgleish said smart design came at a cost and the challenge of this design brief was to keep within a pretty constrained budget.
"We did it because we had a local builder who was excited with the concept," he said.
Dalgleish Architects' success was one of three in the commercial section.
The others were the White Hart Hotel complex in New Plymouth and RNZAF Base Ohakea simulator training centre.
A diverse range of buildings - including a fort and pirate ship-influenced playground, a historic hotel and a theatre extension - were among the winners of the 2016 Western Architecture awards run by the New Zealand Institute of Architects.