Salvaged wooden and vibrant murals by native artists are among the many ornamental options within the NBBJ-designed Odessa Brown Youngsters’s Clinic, which mixes medical companies with public facilities like a basketball court docket and group kitchen.
The healthcare facility is situated in Seattle’s Othello neighbourhood, a various space that traditionally has been dwelling to immigrant communities.
The venture concerned intensive public outreach and engagement, and areas are particularly designed with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and folks of color) customers in thoughts.
The clinic occupies two ranges in a six-storey constructing known as Othello Sq., which additionally comprises residences and a kindergarten.
Owned by Seattle Youngsters’s Hospital, the clinic supplies medical, dental and psychological well being companies for teenagers. The power additionally contains group centre-type areas, comparable to a basketball court docket and research areas.
“The group requested that this clinic be about greater than healthcare – a spot to hang around after college and research, play basketball and soccer, maintain occasions, share a meal and entry meals assets,” stated NBBJ, which is headquartered in Seattle.
“The OBCC’s connective facilities are open to not simply clinic sufferers however the neighbourhood at giant, uniting a number of generations to foster instructing, studying and sharing.”
The clinic’s floor degree encompasses a recreation centre and group kitchen, whereas the medical features are housed on the higher degree. The power totals 41,679 sq. ft (3,872 sq. metres).
The workforce drew upon the native milieu to plan, organise and enhance the ability.
A spread of healthcare rooms – for exams, remedy, counselling, session and imaging – are organized round a ready room. Envisioned as a “city sq.”, the central area options comfy furnishings and areas for learning and studying.
Acquainted parts comparable to entrance porches and neighbourhood blocks impressed sure design options within the clinic. Brilliant colors have been impressed by the native context and are supposed to “categorical vibrancy and pleasure”.
Commissioned work by native artists is featured all through, serving to the ability really feel welcoming and relatable.
“Neighborhood members expressed that they didn’t need the area to really feel medical, and emphasised the thought of ‘no clean partitions’,” the workforce stated.
A mixture of supplies could be discovered on the partitions, comparable to printed murals, stretched cloth and salvaged skip-planed wooden siding. Flooring contains polished concrete, rubber and linoleum, and ceilings are lined in acoustical panels.
Casework is made from white oak and faux-wood laminate, and privateness screens are fabricated of perforated metallic.
Whereas NBBJ has designed quite a few healthcare services, this venture required an unconventional method.
“The normal means of design would not work uniformly, and it is not significantly effectively suited to deprived communities,” the workforce stated.
“How then do you create a extra equitable course of and outcomes? How do you give the group a voice?”
The workforce sought intensive enter from a variety of stakeholders, together with sufferers, mother and father, medical practitioners, childcare suppliers, and others. That enter straight formed the design of the area.
“We realized an inclusive design course of lets the group lead,” the workforce stated. “It’s grounded in belief and relationships, transparency and connections.”
Different current tasks by NBBJ embrace a vibrant playground at a public housing advanced in Los Angeles, which it designed in collaboration with American musician Flea.
The pictures is by Sean Airhart.
