Ramiro Zubeldia Architects

CONTEXT:

Generally speaking, architecture for small scale healthcare facilities in Argentina is poorly designed. Interior patient rooms often meet only the basic functional requirements and do not contribute to the aesthetics of these offices.
Professionals spend most of their time in these spaces, yet doctors are generally reluctant to invest and improve these facilities in order further enjoy their work, and in turn, provide better patient care.
Poor design can signify a disregard for patients. When waiting rooms that have poor ventilation, bad lighting, and are repositories of old furniture, artifacts, and other miscellaneous objects the healthcare experience is worsened.
Dental offices are no exception to poorly designed healthcare facilities. And other than the functional armchair and technical equipment, there are limited initiatives to improve the aesthetics of these spaces.

INVESTIGATION:

This project´s design process had two different stages.
During the analysis stage, we provided a “situation diagnosis” so we could design a new type of business. We looked to international projects, learning from their formal spatial characteristics, functional distribution of premises, circuits, user routes and work elements, and technical lighting requirements, installation systems, and specific equipment. We even compiled and processed information on ergonomics specific to dental offices.
In the second stage, we focused on the less practical part of the design. Inspired by parts of the mouth; we used curved satin white pieces that fit with each other to represent teeth, a yellow floor represents the base of the mouth and the sanitary sockets lining the perimeter of the office is finished in the same material providing the rooms with continuity
It was important for us to us to design a better waiting area. Usually waiting rooms have seating along their perimeters which discomfort and makes waiting feel like a waste of time. We proposed that this waiting room be more similar to a café so that patients can be productive there. With its curtains and screens this room can also transform into a dark multipurpose space to teach courses.

MATERIALS:

This project is designed with a limited palette of materials.
The surfaces of the “dental pieces” are made of mdf lacquered white satin hung on hangers with curved corner pieces. These panels are 4 cm above the floor and below the ceiling maintaining a sanitary floor and creating space for the lintel.
The floors are made with a gray polyurethane leveling mass, and the corridors are finished with yellow epoxy paint.
The ceilings in the "centers of the dental pieces" are made with a tensioned sheet of non-inflammable PVC that creates a diffuse light to decrease shadows in the work areas.
The clinics are enclosed with special 26 mm thick glass, in order to isolate the radiation of the XR equipment.
The plans hide doors, lighting sources, technical boards and design specific furniture for the space.

SYSTEM:

The proposal makes the floor and ceiling independent elements that read as a pattern. The yellow floor unites these parts while also separating the ambulatory from the other spaces.
The independence of the floor and ceiling is accentuated by a linear frame with hidden vertical lighting.
In general this design communicates dynamism, through unity of the objects, rhythm of their organization, and vertical frames that circulate through the office.