B.C. design studios make health care spaces more welcoming and comfortable

Imagine arriving for a medical appointment and finding a room that looks more like a beautiful home than a clinic. Instead of rows of plastic chairs or harsh fluorescent lighting, there’s a comfortable sofa, a place to make tea, interesting artwork and warm, inviting colours.

These are some of the details being explored by two B.C. design studios, each approaching health care with ideas borrowed from residential interiors and hospitality.

At Vancouver’s Everwell wellness clinic, Jessica MacDonald and Kate Snyder, co-founders and co-creative directors of Studio Roslyn, have created a richly layered interior inspired by nature, traditional healing practices and the comforts of home.

In Squamish, Josianne Berube, partner and registered interior designer at STARK Architecture & Interiors, has helped create a different esthetic at Creekside Health, using colour, natural maple, carefully placed lighting and acoustics to make a medical visit feel less institutional.

One of the more interesting ideas behind both projects is creating health care environments that give patients back a little control.

Consider the ordinary waiting room. Chairs are arranged in rows, often facing one direction. There’s little choice about where to sit or how to spend the time.

At Creekside Health, built-in terracotta banquettes follow the windows. Low yellow tables provide space for children, while a tea and water station allows patients to help themselves.

“Illness removes choice. You are told when to arrive, where to wait and when it is your turn. A space can’t change that, but it can return some control in the moments in between, and this is where STARK’s residential thinking made the greatest difference,” says Berube.

At Everwell, patients can browse wellness products or settle into the reception area before an appointment. In the IV treatment rooms, lounge chairs have pillows that patients can arrange themselves.

“Having those choices, even small ones, can help people feel more at ease,” says MacDonald.

Something a lot of people never consider is how different a room looks when you’re viewing it from a bed.

The practitioner generally stands, while the patient may be lying down, vulnerable or partially undressed. Overhead lighting, equipment and the way a room is arranged can reinforce this uncomfortable imbalance.

STARK considered this relationship at Creekside, choosing gentle light that falls down the walls rather than directly onto patients. Blue cabinetry and subdued artwork offer something pleasant to look at.

Privacy also extends beyond the door. Acoustic detailing prevents conversations from travelling between rooms, allowing patients to discuss personal matters without wondering who might overhear.

At Everwell, the treatment rooms feature thick drapery, vintage artwork, wooden side tables and soft furniture. Even the walls incorporate unexpected finishes, including bronze paint, bobbin trim and smoked mirror.