To design for our client’s radical vision that integrates wellness and clinical services, we start by researching their operations, learning how to maximize benefits, then designing around how to fluidly move people from function to function. After touring similar but less-integrated projects—few fully-integrated models exist—we quickly realized that just combining a gym with a primary care clinic brings little benefit to people who use either. A better design focuses on selective permeability, overlapping functions, and full integration. Our dynamic new healthcare facility will communicate warmth, healing, approachability, aspiration—holistic architecture that sees people as more than patients. Visitors entering the v-shaped building at its vertex will immediately understand its integrated functions. General fitness spaces act as bridges to more specialized functions like integrative health, dermatology, retail, physical therapy, and imaging. Clearly delineated pathways and semipermeable barriers will define public and private programs—connecting while separating, for example, a lap pool from aquatic therapy, or people training for a 5K from people doing PT. Urban context is critical. Because it’s the first thing visitors will see when they exit the highway, the site itself acts as a community gateway, with retail zoning that supports active storefronts and a bike path that supports zero-carbon transportation. Our hope is that this radical new facility feels like it’s part of Main Street while feeling kinetic yet relaxing, empowering and healing, and unlike anything else out there.

To successfully integrate wellness with clinical services, we start by focusing on how to maximize operational benefits. After touring similar but less-integrated projects—few fully-integrated models exist—we understood that our design must communicate warmth and professionalism, relaxation with dynamic activity, aspiration and inclusion. It’s not enough to simply combine traditional healthcare design with wellness. Our design concept must holistically communicate both. Because our client’s vision treats patients as complete people whose individual health is affected by diet, behavior, mental and emotional states, physical abilities, our core interior design concept likewise promotes overall healthy living and wellbeing. Biophilic elements like natural light and exposed wood elements will soothe visitors and decrease stress while they’re working out, learning about nutrition, or waiting to see their physician. Beautiful, integrated color palettes that fit each program will guide and orient people within the facility. Indoor/outdoor spaces further connect our design to its community and bioregion. Programmatically, with the exception of urgent care patients, visitors enter the v-shaped building in the middle. General fitness spaces bridge to more specialized functions like integrative health, nutrition, retail, physical therapy, and imaging. Clearly delineated paths and materials will define public and private programs—connecting yet separating, for example, a lap pool from aquatic therapy, or people training for a 5K from people doing PT. Our hope: A design that feels kinetic yet relaxing, empower and healing, and completely revolutionary.