Pediatric Primary Care Clinic

As the client’s new hub for primary care, this clinic encompasses many clinical functions as well as workspace for providers and faculty. One floor of this two-floor renovation within a historic former bread factory will serve clinic functions while the other is dedicated entirely to workspace. Understanding the workflow both for day 1 of the clinic operations and planning for into the future was key in planning and designing this facility, and was aided by the use of VR and mock-ups.

concept

Building off the client’s standard color palette and the character of the building and surrounding neighborhood of Shaw, the design will appeal to patients of all ages while highlighting and celebrating different DC neighborhoods through the use of artwork and graphics. Architectural details will pay homage to the original structure of the building, exposing the brick and wood joists wherever possible, while maintaining a clean healthcare environment.

my tasks:

Rendering
Designing + building mock up
Detailing
Space Planning
Furniture specification
CA Coordination

plans

This project is split between two floors: the administrative space on the ground floor of the building, below the public entrance on the first floor; and the clinic on the second floor. The ground level accommodates an open office space with custom workstations, along with talk rooms, a conference room, and staff lounge. The clinic uses a racetrack layout to concentrate workspace for providers and teaching zones for residents and medical students along the exterior, taking advantage of the natural light; with the patient corridor located on the interior. The waiting room uses a variety of furniture to accommodate the large number of patients the clinic will serve in a way that is comfortable and less institutional.

Ground Level

Second Level - Sector A

Second Level - Sector B

elevator lobby + check-in

The colorful linear ceiling helps direct patients as they step off the elevator, and the cheerful graphics, which will include the client’s logo, welcome them to the clinic. The design of the check-in desk was a key focus of the elevator lobby and waiting area. We used process mapping, a cardboard mock-up, and VR to come a solution that works for the staff once they move in, and will be flexible as their check-in process changes in the future. I wrote a blog post about this process here.

waiting area

A variety of seating provides plenty of options for families waiting on their appointments, and there is plenty of space for queuing at the reception desk as well. Tucked away in the back corner of the room is a kids’ play area, with a table and fun poufs for the kids to play on and additional seating for adults.

patient corridor + subwait bench

The patient corridor is lined with watercolor-inspired graphics depicting various DC neighborhoods, providing wayfinding. In the adolescent exam room pod, featured in the rendering above, a custom millwork bench is provided for adults to have a place to wait while their teenager has their exam without going all the way back to the exam room. The bench includes a lighting feature reminiscent of a skylight to bring more light into the interior corridor.

staff work

Staff work areas run around the perimeter of the building, allowing the staff excellent access to natural light. The exam rooms have entrances on both sides, so the providers have access to their patients directly from their work areas. The colorful demountable partitions indicate precepting areas, where the providers will gather with the residents and medical students coming to learn at the clinic. The colors provide wayfinding for the students as they move down the corridor.