.jpg)
During the Spring Semester 2020, my assignment was to design a Health Care Clinic. The requirements were to include an Lobby, Waiting Lounge, Reception, Offices, 4 Specialized Rooms (ENT, Pediatrics, Family Medicine and General Practitioner), Laboratory, Toilets, Nurse Stations, Parking for Cars, Parking for an ambulance and a Courtyard. I know right, it's a long list. Somehow i was supposed to fit all these functions into a 30mX40m site and it was safe to say that i was extremely intimidated. So in the beginning i had to research different clinics and find the relations between each room and find the size of each item in the room itself. I used Neufert Standard book and ArchDaily to get all the standardised sizes for all the medical equipment. I was very careful when designing each room since each Specialized doctor needs specific equipment with very unique dimensions. Using all the information i learnt i was able to make a Bubble Diagram and a Room Plan.
Despite all the research, Integrating the courtyard into the design of the clinic was very challenging as i didn't know where it would be appropriately placed. At the beginning, the design of the clinic was basic, it looked plain.
This was my first attempt at designing the clinic. I badly placed a small courtyard in between the rooms that disturbed the circulation. The shape of the building itself was very boring and not interesting. Another mistake is there isn't any stairs or ramp at the entrance, which means that the clinic can't be accessed by people of determination. These flaws are very clear to me now. Thankfully i was able to fix the draft and reach to the final plan.
This was the final plan , I added one courtyard, and centralized it. This allows the whole Clinic to be able to get access to the sunlight and the scenery. I was inspired by the health centers in Dubai as they have a similar structure. I added a much needed steps and ramp and allowed the reception area to have an open layout, which i believe helps the circulation significantly.
When making the model, i changed the levels of different rooms to diversify the circulation within the clinic. This is shown in the model (East View). I made the roof in the corridor to be higher, allowing an easier airflow.
As i look back at this completed project, i realise how much i have learnt from this. I was able to understand the fundamentals of design and the spatial proximity in a commercial building. I now know the average dimensions of a public bathroom, the height of windows, how the orientation of the building affects shadows and light and so much more. From recounting my experience, i also find that my skills have improved since, i can know clearly add improvements and point out mistakes.