Urban Salon designs NHS sexual health clinic

Urban Salon is working on designs for the UK’s first seven-day-a-week sexual health clinic for Guy’s and St Thomas’ Trust in London.

Entrance view
Entrance view

The consultancy was invited to compete for the project by the Trust and presented concept designs to its clinical staff and a design advisor in July 2011, according to Urban Salon architect David Pearce.

Project organisers specifically sought designers and architects who had not previously worked in healthcare.

Former rail arches in Burrell Street, SE1, are being refurbished to house the clinic, which will be designed to appeal to 16-25 year olds.

‘It needs to be more akin to spaces those people might use,’ says Pearce who adds that the challenge was ‘to create a welcoming sexual health clinic with excellent facilities for visitors and staff.’

Waiting room
Waiting room

The consultancy was also encouraged to ‘push the Trust’ to accept a look and feel which is very different from a standardised hospital environment, says Pearce. 

The design comprises teaching rooms and auditoriums on an upper mezzanine with clinical rooms on the ground floor ‘in a long double-height space,’ Pearce says.

Artists Allison Dring and Arnold Gordon have been commissioned to work on the space, with Dring concentrating on 16 clinical areas.  

Arch view
Arch view

Berlin-based illustrator Dring will design a piece for a ceiling space above a treatment area ‘so patients can look up’ when they are being treated, says Pearce.

Goron has been engaged to make a mobile structure which hangs in the front of one of the arched spaces.

‘Luminaires or fittings not typically in use’ in a medical environment will light the space and flooring will be a hospital standard linoleum, but in non-standard colours according to Pearce, who says work is being carried out on site and the project is due for completion in Autumn 2012.

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  • Miranda November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    WOW – did you know playwright Vanessa Wilkins wrote a comic play about a fancy new sexual health clinic in rail arches at London Bridge? ‘The Tunnel’ was hilarious – and a finalist in RedFest at Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington! Art imitating life or the reverse?

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