With a rich experience of six successfully running physiotherapy facilities, the power couple, Dr Aalap Shah and Dr Disha Shah, aspired to bring the next level of scientific and medical expertise to our own Amdavad – in form of an even bigger and advanced healthcare facility. The 7th installment of this first-of-its-kind specialty facility, popularly known as the Mission Health, revolves around 7 core attributes that the doctors, their very abled team and the architects (MISA Architects, Ahmedabad) laid out as the governing program brief for this project.
These 7 attributes and more importantly, its embodiment in the design approach is explained here:
1. Stimulation : Neuroscientist Fred Gage states that ‘architectural design changes our brain and behavior’, the practice of architecture and design fuses the physical and psychological realms that in turn stimulate all our innate or natural senses. It is increasingly being accepted globally that design is not just what we see, but it is what we feel. Being a facility that takes neuroscience seriously, the architect builds a consistent visual construct within which one can experience emotion and feeling.
By using natural, earthy tones and its derivatives; serene, soothing and noiseless elements; and aesthetically moving and intelligent spaces, forms, matter and illumination – the design aims to stimulate users to experience an emotion or feeling. This emotion is way beyond the mere visual, informational exchange, and is a richer and more rewarding stimulus than the usual.
2. Engagement : Juhani Pallasma, a celebrated Finnish architect says that a space in addition to providing shelter and housing distinctive activities, also houses our minds, memories, desire and dreams – both individually and collectively. The space accumulates layers of culture and context, and presents a unique, imaginative re-interpretation and re-creation of an sensorial experience to each one of us –engaging at a psychological and metaphysical planes. So how can this be created in a space?
In this case, the architect downplays physical elements that can lead to a preconceived or predetermined experience of the space – for instance, a clinic paints a blue / green picture with four blank walls and ‘prescriptive’ engagement with the doctors in one’s head – but here, the space borrows nature’s live and ever-changing colors through landscaping and engages the patients in a dialogue of exchange leading to peace, hope and even joy.
3. Comprehensiveness : Having integrated the above fundamentals in design approach, the team moves on to guarantee an all-encompassing framework for the facility. From the functional point of view, the facility takes care of all 3 types of stakeholders involved, i.e., medical staff & management team, patients & their families / friends, and the visitors. The design embeds needs of each of the stakeholders in an incremental yet comprehensive blueprint.
4. Sincerity : The space is intended to reflect honesty of mind, honesty of intent, honesty of services and even the honesty of materials used. The design employs materials in their natural form and splendor.
5. Positivity : This facility Perhaps, the most positive and stimulating setting should be at a healthcare facility, where a patient steps in, but the goal is that a healthy and happy person steps out.
6. Thoroughness : An investment should bear effective results, be it in terms of monetary or the human resources put into play – and this facility is a great return on the investment – in physical and metaphorical sense of the word. The facility depends to the lowest extent possible on non-functional elements, and is designed to be resilient to evolving needs and functionalities over time – without having to make any substantially new additions for a reasonably good period of time.
Thoroughness, which also literally means, attention to detail – is abundantly visible. From the choice of mixed Kota stone for flooring that brings a myriad of colors as one moves about, to carefully placed large, accessible openings complete with landscaped terraces to an enhanced patient-doctor experience made possible by a whole new approach to defy stereotypical consulting rooms – the attention to detail ties back to all virtues of the program brief.
7. Sublimity : Sublimity or grandeur or magnificence is a very delicately delivered attribute in this program brief. While the facility is overwhelming with its sheer expanse and diversity of functions & services, the program brief makes the space inviting, welcoming and engaging. Be it patients or the staff, this space is a subliminal melting pot of technological and medical advancement, passion and patience.
Having understood these attributes, let us explore its application in design below.
The Centre is spread on an entire floor, sprawling over 70,000 sqft on a busy urban street in western Ahmedabad, plus a partial floor space (about 3,000 sqft) on one level above. The most profound experience of this Centre is its inter-connected terrace on levels III and IV of the building – both in the visual and physical planes. The 3rd level terrace is derived from the ‘Charbagh’ concept from Mughal garden architecture. The terrace blends soft and hard landscape elements, in a squarish geometry – opening up 4 quadrants at the 4 corners and a central, smaller square at its crosshairs. Each of the 4 quadrants play a functional as well as aesthetic role. They become the outdoor fitness corners, yoga deck, lounges & break-out spaces and elegant landscaping.
Further in the design, the Centre’s umpteen facilities is broken in 4 categories. The Ortho-Nuero area comprises specialized treatment bays with supporting services / amenities; the IPD area comprises suites with private balcony and common utilities; the admin area comprises assessment lounge, doctor’s offices and conference room – these 3 spaces are directly connected to the terrace, other admin spaces include greet room, gym instructor’s cabin and the Café. The 4th category is the Gym on IIIrd level along with a group studio – that is again directly connected to the terrace. The interior spaces of the facility are designed for universal access (specially abled, old and children); leveraging a circulation flow that is coherent and yet characteristic of its own identity – thanks to the brown / textured natural Kota stone and its organically varying shades.
One would think that being a healthcare facility, it has solid walls that generally elevate stress rather than calming people down; but that is not the case here. The vertical planes exploit the stillness and composure of white for solid walls, well complemented by extensive use of glass that adds to this feeling of being taken care of. The smooth, curved edges add to the subtlety of this surfaces. This tranquil experience of the vertical planes is only pleasantly broken by well thought artwork, pleasing planters and bamboo chic curtains for weather protection. A substantial amount of utility furniture is made of stone, in its natural form to the extent possible, minimizing any artificial makeovers. In fact, the architects ensured that material honesty is given its due importance by celebrating nature’s flaws that make them unique in their own way – as opposed to a pre-programmed and factory manufactured product. The aim was to give the place a character of its own.
Such is the program brief for the upcoming and India's leading Physiotherapy Centre. The function of this space is to have an engaging and in-depth engagement between the patient and the doctor - while tactfully breaking the stereotype of a closed, dark and often blue / green space. In fact, this space is a effortless set-up of earthy, natural tones, where all the six surfaces - the 4 walls, floor and ceiling – are intentionally underplayed to take patient's attention on to the lively, green and positive outdoors. The terrace – visually and physically accessible – brings nature's colours and sounds, key ingredients to a healthier and happier mind frame.
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