More spa-like than medical, a new Auckland dentistry practice challenges the rules of what a clinical environment can be in the era of anti-clinics.
My enduring image of dental clinics is of high tech, sterile whiteness; a place where decay is the villain and treatment is short, sharp and painful. With ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos scrolling across a screen, I am supposed to feel reassured – that I will be moved from a state of decay to a state of health. But it is a rather unsettling ‘sell’ as it presupposes there is a problem.
What a welcome surprise then is the new fit-out for The Tooth Company, the Auckland-based dentistry practice founded by Dr Andrew Campbell. After one too many awkward dinner party conversations, Campbell decided it was time to make a change. “Going to the dentist shouldn’t be that hard,” he says. “I listened to peoples stories and asked them what could be done better, and at the top of their list was a more welcoming environment.”
After refurbishing a heritage warehouse space in the city, for this second branch in Takapuna Campbell has taken the concept a step further with the help of Nat Cheshire and Emily Priest, of Cheshire Architects. “We are interested in very humane, experienced-based architecture, focussed on the human beings who use it,” says Cheshire. “So creating an incredibly soft environment was our creative way of transforming a medical space into one that manifests health and wellbeing.” He and co-designer Emily Priest proposed a Scandinavian spa aesthetic, one that is “warm and inviting; a conscious shift from the typical dentist space,” says Priest.
Designing a softer, less formal clinical environment can be a challenge. On the one hand, it must still invite trust and professionalism, but also allay any anxiety around treatment, and help enhance health and wellbeing outcomes. In this case, the new image is of an easy confidence, one where skill, experience and high tech gear is a given, and where the guest experience comes first. The public spaces feel non-medical, and the consulting rooms are equally devoid of much of the clinical paraphernalia we often associate with dentists.
The design works at macro and micro levels to achieve this – from sweeping timber curves that disguise a tough concrete shell to finely-scaled joinery surfaces. A cloud of floating rice paper lanterns brings a residential scale and softness, while felt ‘bubble’ seats are casually dotted around the waiting area. Curves become the metaphorical foil to the hard, cold image of dentistry, and serve as a useful device to manage sightlines and privacy. Each element works functionally, aesthetically and economically; signalling a different approach to dentistry and guest care, one based on a very personal and individual experience.
Design serves to change our perceptions and thus our experience. In this case, design convincingly paints a picture of wellness for a profession too often seen in a negative light.
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
Sub-Zero and Wolf’s prestigious Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) has celebrated the very best in kitchen innovation and aesthetics for three decades now. Recognising premier kitchen design professionals from around the globe, the KDC facilitates innovation, style and functionality that pushes boundaries.
Cult has just celebrated the grand openings of its newest showrooms in Australia and New Zealand, marking a significant milestone in the ever-evolving design landscape.
Originally shortlisted for their Faradays project in the INDE.Awards Retail Space, we chatted with Cheshire Architects’ lead project designers about a love for architecture and what makes them unique in New Zealand/Aotearoa.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
2024’s theme, “Reawaken,” calls for a journey through reinvention and sustainability.
In Malaysia Spacemen has created a world of perfumed wonder with their latest project, Trove, where treasures abound.