North Star Clinic

NORTH STAR CLINIC

NOME, ALASKA

DESIGN CONCEPT

Vibrant streaks of color paint the night sky of the Alaskan frontier. The awe-inspiring ‘northern lights’ are a dynamic phenomena that serve an important role in Inuit folklore. The Inuit believed they were the embodiment of spirits who lit torches to guide those who were still in this realm. The important meaning of this event relates to the goal of the clinic to serve as a resource to help others through direct care & educational services. The contrast between the stark landscape of the region and the playful movement of intense color serve as inspiration for the design. The human instinct to gravitate towards light and color will be leveraged to promote a positive experience for patients.

PROJECT CONTEXT

North Star Clinic is a community healthcare center servicing the rural community of Nome, Alaska. The clinic will offer services for direct patient care and preventative resources in order to help bridge health disparities in the local population. Nome sits just below the Arctic Circle along the Alaskan coastline and is well known for the Iditarod Dog Sled Races and its strong cultural influences. The proximity of a regional hospital in the city poses implications for the scale of equipment and hours of operation for the facility.

FLOOR PLAN

The patient-driven spaces seek to promote the branded identity of the clinic in order to create a strong connection to the local community and the natural environment upon which they depend. The design of the reception and waiting space seeks to offer opportunities for visual distraction through engaging ceiling treatments, dynamic wallcovering, and faux-greenery as a means of alleviating patient anxiety. Comfortable seating that suits individual patients and larger families/companion groups attempts to address the diverse range of users in the space. The nurses station maintains clear sightlines to the patient rooms which flank the provider core. Wayfinding is supported through signage and environmental graphics, along with a custom indirect fixture based on the form of the aurora borealis.

STANDARD EXAM ROOM LAYOUT

A clear distinction is established between patient and provider zones, strengthened by prominent wayfinding that encourages users to intuitively navigate the space. Exam room layouts are kept standard to ensure providers are able to efficiently access necessary equipment and resources and are designed to maximize privacy and comfort for patients. The zoning of the clinic demonstrates a clear connection to the patient and public uses of the space, including the restrooms for specimen collection, vital collection areas, as well as a dedicated community space. Provider spaces have visual oversight over patients for safety and security, with the break room space having connectivity to an outdoor patio space for warmer times of the year.

Ceiling heights and treatments are carefully considered for the functionality and intended mood for the space, with lower ceilings (10′-0″ AFF) in the patient rooms and waiting areas creating a more intimate atmosphere where people will linger as they await treatment from the providers. In more transitory zones, with high volumes of foot traffic, higher ceilings allow for the installation of customized fixtures to promote wayfinding and intuitive circulation. Ceiling baffles and extruded steel fixtures aid in diffusing sound and offering visual interest.