BERLIN – ‘I keep asking myself new ques-
tions when it comes to healthcare interiors,’
said jury member Gyula Öry of Cairn Real
Estate. ‘What types of spaces help people
look after their health? Which environments
make healthcare more accessible, make
patients more comfortable?’ Selecting a pro-
ject that addressed all these considerations
was paramount to the jury.
Picture your dentist’s office. Chances
are its over-clinical aesthetic makes even a
biannual check-up feel too frequent. Studio
Karhard aimed for a new kind of experience
with The Urban Dentist in Berlin, resulting
in interiors more like those of a nightclub or
concept store than that of a purveyor of root
canals. As noted in its final report, the jury
considered the project a charming departure
from the norm: ‘Studio Karhard gave the
dentist a new identity, so that patients aretreated more as guests. An unusual material
palette and an efficient use of space suc-
ceed in making the experience desirable and
attracting a younger generation.’ Öry added
that ‘many are afraid to go to the dentist.
But in a space like this, that fear would likely
disappear.’
The nightclub trope and ambience
are not The Urban Dentist’s only identifiably
Berlin aspects: everything was created and
built by local companies, with concentrated
attention on sustainability. – LGM
karhard.dePEOPLE'S VOTE
New York Dermatology Group by Brandon
Haw ArchitectureViewing The Urban
Dentist’s patients as guests
gave Studio Karhard the
edge in its category.
INSTITUTIONS
Healthcare
Centre
of the Year
THE URBAN DENTIST BY
STUDIO KARHARDSt
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