Playful Child Care: A Pediatric Clinic Designed for Comfort and Connection

A Unique and Warm Space for Children's Health

This building with its eye-catching roof is a pediatric clinic. Patients are soothed by the warmth of the wood and the curving design. The wall-to-wall bookshelf of picture books eases children's anxieties. The waiting areas are distributed in three locations to prevent infection, but the curved surfaces and atrium create a sense of spatial connectivity. Also, after the sun goes down, the light overflowing through the gaps in the roof gives a sense of ease to the inorganic streetscape.

In designing this building, infectious disease control was an important consideration. Patients are directed by nurses to different waiting areas depending on their symptoms (infectious and non-infectious). The waiting area, which faces the outside and surrounds the examination rooms, creates two gently demarcated waiting areas. The fact that they are not separated by walls also has the advantage that nurses can respond quickly to sudden changes in a patient's condition.

Areas: Site dimension 221 sqm / Plot ratio 80% / built area 165 sqm / Total floor space: 125 sqm

The roof that wraps around the building not only increases the visibility of this building but is also effective in the comfort that patients feel. The eaves extending toward the front street welcome patients. As they enter, they can see all the way to the second floor and are amazed at the expanse of space. And there are slits under each roof. This gives the large roof a light and friendly impression to people. The activities of the interior are expressed to the city through the slit.

Project duration from September 2018 to May 2019. Location is 2-11-3 Josai, Nishi-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture.

In Japanese clinics, patients are usually crowded into waiting rooms, which carries a high risk of nosocomial infection. We designed a building with spatial expansiveness throughout, while dividing the flow of patients according to their symptoms. We also avoided the inorganic space that is common in conventional clinics and designed the building with the warmth of wood. Currently, the building is also used as a vaccination site for COVID-19, supporting the health of local residents.

The shape of the roof was achieved through in-depth discussions with the structural designer. We went through a process of trial and error to find the shape that would look most beautiful when viewed from the street in front of the building. The steeply folded roof was a challenge, but as a result, the interior space feels spacious and defines the impression of the space. In addition, in order to make the tips look beautiful, the gutters were specially made instead of using ordinary ones.

TSC Architects has designed a distinctive roof with three layers in three design strategies. The first is to gently wrap the patient. Next, the space is divided into infectious diseases and non-infectious diseases, and the space is designed to feel the wholeness. Finally, the light from the windows in the gaps in the roof illuminates the eaves ceiling, giving a glimpse of the activities inside. Surrounded by the warmth of wood and picture books, the atrium waiting room is a place where patients and children can be energetic while taking precautions against infection.

Image Credits: Photographer ToLoLo studio

Intellectual Property Notice: Yoshiaki Tanaka

Awards and Accolades: This Design was awarded Iron in A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2022. Iron A' Design Award: Awarded to well-designed, practical, and innovative creations that meet professional and industrial requirements. Respected for integrating industry best practices and competent technical characteristics, they provide fulfillment and positive feelings, contributing to a better world.