What is your first association with visiting the dentist? The sterile whiteness of the rooms? The sound of drilling? Architects from IFAgroup studio went against these stereotypes, creating a dental clinic in Gdansk. "Stepping inside, it's hard to believe we're in a clinic".
clinic in a former granary
A modern dental clinic located in a glass high-rise building? Not this time! Investors have chosen a former granary in Gdansk's Wrzeszcz district used before the war for the needs of the surrounding barracks as their headquarters.
A dental clinic in a former granary in Gdansk's Wrzeszcz district.
photo: Kroniki.studio
The entrance to the building leads through a portal, which made the owner decide to buy the building a few years ago — the designers explain. — The granary on Kosciuszko Street was part of a larger complex, and is the only one that has survived to this day. Investors were keen to respect the history of the place, hence the idea to refer to the past in the interior while adapting the building as well. The exterior is under conservation protection, so in its character it has remained unchanged — they add.
The surroundings of the building leave much to be desired, a three-story building covered with a gabled roof and a facade decorated with brick lesenes stands out with a certain modesty against the background of surrounding buildings and busy, multi-lane routes.
cross-section and first floor plan
© IFAgroup
waiting room like a hotel lobby
When the building was rebuilt and adapted to its new functions, it was to house fifteen dental offices, a prosthodontics laboratory, the necessary facilities and a conference room. They were arranged around a three-story-high foyer, a space that is undisputedly the highlight of the entire establishment.
The brick wall creates an interesting texture
photo: Kroniki.studio
The word foyer, associated primarily with spacious rooms in theatre or hotel buildings, is justified in this case — this space is something more than a classic waiting room. This, by the way, is what the investors intended — patients are supposed to feel not like in a medical facility, but like in a "stylish hotel lobby with relaxation areas". The effect is intensified by a piano located on the mezzanine floor, the sounds of which are to make the waiting time more pleasant. Frill? Perhaps, but it will certainly bring solace to those whose persistent sound of drilling makes them shudder. In the interest of perfect music, the architects used various types of acoustic damping and sound-directing screens.
The spacious foyer covers three floors
photo: Kroniki.studio
Natural light enters the interior through a skylight located in the roof. The whole building is maintained in subdued colors — creating a cozy atmosphere, the browns of wood (for example, in the unbanded doors to the offices) and the color of exposed brick on parts of the walls are juxtaposed with raw architectural concrete. Leather elements also appear in places.
interior details
Photo: Kroniki.studio
One of the most decorative elements of the space is the walnut wood veneer built-in staircase — a spiral link between floors. The author of the geometric paintings adorning the walls, in which the color palette of the interior is concentrated, is Aleksandra Jankowska-Skierska.
One of the most decorative elements of the interior is the walnut wood veneer-clad spiral staircase
Photo: Kroniki.studio
However, this area of the building, which does not evoke medical associations, leads to rooms that are thoroughly appropriate to their function. The dental offices (those on the first floor are nearly 6 meters high!) are kept white, and their design is minimalist.
dental office
Photo: Kroniki.studio
We often emphasize the importance of consistency of thought between investors and architects, as such a relationship facilitates the entire design process. During the construction of the clinic, we could count on investors' support at every stage. We tried to make this project a showcase for the owners for years to come. [...] For our team, this is an important project, because we implemented many interesting and innovative solutions in it. The clinic in Gdansk Wrzeszcz is a completely new look at architecture in the world of medicine — sums up Kamil Domachowski, architect from the IFAgroup studio.
