Healthcare

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Program: Neurology & Sleep Medicine Associates

This tenant improvement project located at the Southwest of Building #3 North was a portion of a gray shell building at Odyssey Professional Plaza in Mesa, Arizona. The total area of the Medical Office is 1,963 square feet.

The program consists of 4 exam rooms, one electromagnetic room, three doctor offices, one break area, 4 work stations, a reception area, an ADA restroom, a waiting area for patients to sign in and a check-out area. The program also required an additional staff restroom, a janitor room, a storage room and a secured server/data room which is the electronic “brain” of the office.

Approach:

The approach has been to maximize the use of every square inch available in the planning and use so as to utilize the maximum available height within the existing structure. This worked to create a voluminous space with the variation of ceiling heights that enhanced the experience of walking through this small office. Functions have been grouped to minimize circulation routes for staff. Architectural features have been designed to mark a distinctive transition into other spaces. The use of skylights brought daylight deeper into the interior for less reliance upon artificial lighting and implementing LED lighting throughout the office, both of which improved the energy efficiency aspect of the project.

Theme:

A client requirement was to incorporate the Yin Yang symbol as a ceiling feature in the waiting area. After research on this meaningful ancient element of Chinese culture, I captured the opportunity of interpreting light and darkness into the early design stage; thus, duality became the principal theme of this project. The Yin Yang in the waiting area was constructed using a void in opposition of the solid mass with aluminum brushed finish material. Also, five LED lights placed around the ring represent the five major elements of nature, thus remaining consistent with the spirit of the project.

The owner requested that his practice logo be placed on the large glass panel in the front waiting area, generating a strong presence that impacts patients as they walk into the medical office.

I expressed duality by juxtaposing granite and a large floating frosted glass panel intended to reflect light from above. At pony wall, through a pair of recessed lights in the ceiling, I expressed the ascendancy of light from the ceiling mass creating a sense of being watched and protected. I applied this same principle at the reception desk.

At the waiting area, a red sculpture of the “mystic forbidden fruit of knowledge” was placed above the floating shelf creating contrast in form and color to remind the story of creation.

The purpose of the Yin Yang at the skylight is to capture natural light, reflecting that light into the hallways by a shining stainless steel “S” shape plate, which also creates a visual interest. As we view and walk through the hallways we benefit from the power of healing from daylight and connection with the spiritual world above.

Overall, I tried to create a project responding to the program, construction budget, energy efficiency, easy circulation and details consistent with the theme of the project. In the whole interval of design-built duration, I have exploded the process of what, why, where and how to bring an idea from the invisible into the visible realm.