WSSC

Espace 313 designed a minimal yet thoughtful space for the Westmount Square Surgical Center in Montreal, Canada. The interior design and architecture firm Espace 313 was mandated to completely restructure and redesign the premises of an 8000 square foot private surgical clinic located in downtown Montreal. The studio approached the mandate with one predominant question: how to get away from the sterile and cold atmosphere so often associated with hospital environments?

Placing the human factor at the heart of their creative process, the firm’s design proposal puts forward functional and aesthetic choices that aim to positively influence the behavior of patients and staff. The layout of the space was initially designed to take advantage of the abundant natural light present in the space. In areas where this was not possible, the spaces are lit with a soft warm light, a deliberate choice that goes against the cold and sterile lighting often present in hospital environments. Using environmental psychology concepts to determine the characteristics of each element of the space, the designers wanted to create a unique experience that would allow visitors and patients to better manage the stress associated with a surgical procedure. Thus, the designers started with the principle of connection to nature to develop the rest of the concept.

“There was a strong desire to push the ideas beyond what we’ve seen in healthcare design in recent years. The goal was to make patients feel immediately comfortable. This mission was achieved through the use of a soft, earthy color palette, curved volumes and natural materials that echo a residential aesthetic. The use of vegetation also played an important role as it creates a connection with the outdoors and nature, which is well known to induce a sense of relaxation in users,” says Gatline Artis, owner of Espace 313. With this conceptual proposal, Espace 313 brings a new look to hospital design and offers a singular vision of the medical clinic of tomorrow, where aesthetics and warmth coexist with health and hospital environment.

Espace 313