Nong’s Clinic

This project is the first Canadian branch of the Hong Kong based healthcare institution, Nong’s Clinic. This unique facility specializes in traditional methods of Chinese medicine; offering services from acupuncture to naturopathic medicine. It is located in the Carefirst Building in Scarborough, Toronto; known for providing community-based healthcare and wellness for Chinese communities in the GTA. The clinic’s design intent was to create focus and privacy in space, while maintaining clean lines and transparency through minimal means.

The 1600 sf unit is located on the ground floor, at the southeast corner of a four storey medical building. Being at the corner of a well-used building, it was important to mitigate the privacy of patients from within the treatment rooms while still maintaining a sense of lightness and transparency to the centre of the unit. This is achieved by employing slatted blinds along the exterior windows for control of light and vision, and partitioning the main reception area with shelves backed with frosted acrylic panels, creating a diffused while bright and clean effect.

The reception area is the focal point of the design, fitted with a custom bench, reception desk and dispensary shelf. Its minimal aesthetic creates a bridge between the facility’s traditional medical techniques and its contemporary business model.  The reception desk’s circular form is equipped with all the necessary storage space for administrative documents, while still providing a ring of welcoming and clean space.

The treatment rooms are designed to integrate utility with comfort. Looking up, the suspended ceilings are slatted wood, to bring warmth and comfort for the patients. The beds are custom designed as well, equipped with hooks and shelves for the needs of the doctors. Along the depth of the bed’s backboard is an inset light, which accentuates the suspended ceiling, creating further feelings of warmth in the room. Through the use of furniture design and sparing architectural elements, the minimal clinic creates a sense of clarity for its doctors and patients.

City: Scarborough, Ontario
Size: 1600 sf.
Status: Completed 2016