Located in the heart of Morningside, a suburb in the north of Johannesburg, the new ConvaCare Clinic will have a positive impact on the overall healthcare experience for wound and ostomy patients.
Drawing inspiration from the existing LatAm Clinics and their learnings along with an understanding of the current changes within our environment, the spatial configuration responds through a series of integrated design solutions. Clinic spaces have been curated into a carefully planned sequence of experiences to evoke a controlled balance of uses and provide flexibility and variety to the patient while maintaining spatial distancing and low touch thinking.
There are three distinct zones - a welcome zone that includes a reception, which forms the first point of contact within the clinic, a waiting area and restrooms. The welcome zone helps to establish a level of trust and ease amongst patients and the design of the reception desk with higher and lower level counters ensures that the reception space remains comfortable and inclusive for wheelchair access. The waiting area can accommodate between ten and fifteen people along with adequate space for wheelchairs.
The clinic zone includes five consultation and treatment rooms. Each room can accommodate mobility-impaired patients and flexibility for a variety of treatment types. The consultation and examination area is separated by means of a shopfitted
timber sliding screen to allow for patient privacy during treatment.
The staff zone comprises a pause area for staff relaxation and a kitchenette for the preparation of meals. A separate storeroom is designed to accommodate
the storage of stock items for the clinic while the sluice/dirty utility room is dedicated to the safe and efficient disposal of waste and other potentially infectious material.
Clinic spaces need to feel comfortable, authentic and inclusive and inspire a sense of empathy and kindness through a welcoming spatial design. A patient’s physical surroundings can have positive effects on their ability to heal. In healthcare, architects are expanding on the notion of health and wellbeing and are considering how the use of neuro-architectural principles can play a pivotal role in shaping human behaviour. In order to achieve a holistic healthcare experience, the clinic is based on six design principles that address the five senses; Legibility, Lighting, Natural Ventilation, Acoustics, Colour and Materiality.
Part of the healing process is the ability to restore balance within the body. From a sensory perspective, plants provide the perfect combination of natural colour palettes to soothe and to bring life to a space, a textile or a brand identity, providing a diverse range of shades and hues. The colour palette inspired by nature brings together a spectrum of warm neutral tones to brighten and harmonize clinic spaces and enhance the quality of light from within the clinic.
With a focus on healing, hygiene and a sensory experience, similarly, the material palette responds by introducing biophilic design principles. This introduces nature into the space through the presence of plants and greenery and reflects nature through the use of natural materials such as timber, cork, clay tiles, brass, leathers and naturally dyed textiles. These tactile and timeless materials provide a sense of warmth, are comforting to touch yet hygienic and easy to clean.
By combining the sensory aspects of the design with reliable infrastructure for ventilation, lighting, acoustics and ICT, the Clinic will offer a holistic experience of compassionate care in a service-orientated facility that takes into account the patient’s health journey.