People’s Community Clinic, a not-for-profit operating since 1970, has always valued its clients and their mission to provide high quality, affordable healthcare with dignity and respect. Their existing facility had maxed out on the patients it could serve tasking the designers to find an affordable new home. Designers found an old, 1982 building that they lovingly named the ‘ugly-duckling’. The building was gutted with the shell left intact. Two opposing entry points were added to emphasize the client’s mission in easing accessibility to its patients.

In both its design and services, the 59,000 square foot building encourages patient engagement, family involvement, and personal connections between care teams and patients. The sense of “home” is felt by old and new patients, with intuitive way finding in multiple languages and friendly care boards that display the familiar faces of their providers. Warm materials and furnishings establish “zones” while keeping an open and inviting environment.

The layout of the building was informed by a simple principle: patient-centered care. Based on extensive research, exam rooms were sized to accommodate seating for family members and carefully laid out to remove barriers between the patient and the provider. Each “pod” was organized in a ring with private offices at the core, surrounded by open office, collaborative areas and exam rooms.  A brand new teaching kitchen and multipurpose classroom that offered prenatal group visits and fitness classes were visibly placed to further support People’s dedication to patient centered care.