So far in my Alaska travels I've toured several medical facilities. Hands down OPA, Orthopedic Physicians of Alaska, comes in first place for all-around good design. This is what you see when the elevator door opens.

Signage is clearly marked. Traffic flow - you must go right or left rather than blundering straight into a seating area. The signage console is an effective room divider that blocks no light and gives the suggestion of privacy to the sitting area behind it.

No mistaking where you are. One step out of the elevator and the check-in is clearly visible. OPA wisely saves the confidential questions for the check-out so there is no need for glass separators, which don't always do the best job of providing speech privacy anyway.

After checking in, proceed further into the waiting room. This is just one end of it. It's huge. It needs to be; OPA has 9 docs, 9 PA's, a troupe of cast technicians plus a walk-in clinic. Everybody waits in the same place.

The dropped ceiling and changes in carpet color define the space and make you feel there are several distinct seating areas/rooms. Furniture in lobby-style arrangements work towards a feeling of some privacy. Club chairs, framed chairs, sofas and love seats provide seating options and they are sized and spaced to accommodate patients needing extra room. Wall sconces, table lamps and ceiling lights provide artificial light at different levels while the wall to the right is floor-to-ceiling windows giving the room natural light and openness. The high ceilings, art, real plants and functioning fireplace reinforce the lobby effect and provide positive distractions.

I can only assume the effect the architect/designer/client wanted was "upscale but approachable hotel lobby". They were highly successful. 

The "leaf green natural healing" theme is a go-to in health care design and it is often seen in seating fabrics and carpet in the waiting room. OPA's designers built on this theme and incorporated the upscale hotel look and natural materials into all areas of the suite.

The exam rooms have functional cabinetry that looks like real furniture.

And stone vessel sinks and stylish wall mounted faucets. (looks like onyx to me)

 Linen look/textured wallpaper on accent walls.

The leaf theme is repeated on the guest chairs as is the green river reed carpet from the lobby.

The leaf is again repeated in the translucent workstation dividers. Continuity is achieved by using the same wood species and stain color as in the exam rooms. 

The leaf shows up again etched in the glass doors of the private and business offices. The etched glass wall brings in light while maintaining privacy.

Checking out is done hotel lobby style. The curves of the entrance signage console and check-in counters are nicely echoed.

A wall sconce in the exit hallway recalls the onyx vessel sinks. A nice organic look against the nubby woven look of the wallpaper.

There are several schools of thought up here in Alaska on this particular medical practice. As I do some healthcare design, my take is they designed a beautiful suite that addresses the needs of the staff and is comfortable, stress reducing (this is hard to achieve for a medical space) and easy to navigate for the patient. Another view is "they spent so much money on the office they have to charge double!#*@!"

What do you think?

Thanks for reading,
Linda Pakravan

if you'd like to rehab your medical office, email me.