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Architects: Antonio Sofan
- Area: 1700 ft²
- Year: 2010
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Photographs:Halkin Mason Photography
Text description provided by the architects. The initial commitment with the client was that this dental office would be stark white and the only focus of color would be reserved for the ceilings of the treatment rooms. The internally illuminated full size digital prints on stretched fabric would keep patients entertained while they are being treated. The images where commissioned to photography artist Carlos Tobon. He shot from below to his glass pool floor studio, all three scenes of hands playing with different objects in the water. The shooting light was kept consistently tinted to achieve a unified hue throughout the treatment rooms. Along came more color as the design evolved but all of it was extracted as variations of the turquoise blues found in the digital images.
The space is dedicated to cosmetic dentistry. The leading-edge equipment and technology of the practice demanded a very logical flow of functions and thorough handling of sanitation. The intended personalized care to patients suggested submissive aesthetics of clean lines which would encourage relaxation.
Three treatment suites, consultation room and doctor’s private office line up at the perimeter of a prime 1,700 sq. ft. commercial space in the Rosslyn area of Virginia. Internally the reception and waiting area are backed up by two folded planes which flank the threshold to the treatment zone. To the right facing the street is the waiting area which displays art by Pedro Ruiz “Love is in the air” series as well as a white leather and walnut bench by Davis.
There aren’t any doors in the treatment rooms or offices. Instead, side panels made out of resin and aluminum foil honeycomb core. They turn the movement behind into pixels when hit by the natural light. Openings to the offices from the main corridor where grouped in pairs and in the center a bank of cabinets that house the xray systems for each treatment room. A shade of turquoise blue was introduced on the outside faces of those cabinets to differentiate the entrances to each operatory.
The punctual splashes of color float on a spotless white canvas. The rest of the palette is white with some textures. The flooring material throughout is a very shiny white sheet vinyl. Solid surface resin was selected as the countertop material on all laminate millwork and the upholsteries on the dental chairs also were also made to match the clean theme.
