From a distance, healthcare center design is similar to other architecture projects we undertake in that it must fulfill a set of needs while also existing in harmony with the land, water and environment that surrounds it. It is when you take a closer look, that the specialized nature of design for the healthcare sector begins to emerge.

No matter what type of health clinic or medical center a building houses, it must carefully balance purpose-built design with patient-centered care. Whether a patient is to undergo a sleep study, such as at Bellevue’s Creekside Sleep Center, or has the type of emergent need that would cause them to visit Bainbridge Island’s Harrison Medical Center, the patient experience begins as soon as they walk through the front door.

Healthcare center design must serve many objectives. It must allow for a comfortable and relaxing patient waiting area, a secure and highly functional administrative department, and private, efficient and accessible spaces for patient treatment. Done well, the original design should also be flexible enough to accommodate for expansion and future innovation. Done very well, the whole of the health clinic design will contribute to the health and well-being of all who use it, from patients to medical providers to administrative staff.

We will begin working on your project with a comprehensive programming process. This will include interviewing staff, observing all stakeholders using the spaces, and empathically engaging with the committee to understand their experiences and needs—research we will use to create a thorough list of project objectives.

The next step is providing trauma-informed design options including spatial layouts, colors, furniture and building materials with the intention of creating an environment promoting feelings of safety, respect, support and empowerment. Then we work collaboratively to develop and finalize a design that nurtures a welcoming sense of calm, dignity and well-being for all occupants.

At Coates Design we have focused for years on providing exceptional design to our healthcare sector clients. We offer healthcare center design that honors the specialized relationship between doctor and patient, as well as the relationship between the healthcare center itself and the land upon which it resides. With our healthcare sector architecture, we strive to design environments in which health can thrive.