Barwon Health North Dental Expansion
A calm, light-filled dental facility that turned a tricky rooftop site into a place where patients feel instantly at ease.
Barwon Health's new dental facility is a rooftop extension to the existing Barwon Health North building, replacing ageing facilities in Belmont and Corio that were no longer fit for purpose. It brings together nine dental chairs, an interview room, a comprehensive sterilising facility, an OPG lab and public amenities in a light-filled space designed to put patients at ease rather than feel clinical.
Year
February 2024
Services
Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Design
Client
Barwon Health
Location
Norlane, Geelong, VIC
Outdated Dental Facilities, Two Suburbs
Barwon Health had outgrown its dental facilities in Belmont and Corio, which were no longer fit for purpose, and government incentives supported expanding services into new accommodation. Many patients come from low socioeconomic backgrounds, so the brief called for a facility that felt calm, safe and welcoming rather than sterile, delivered on a tight rooftop site right next to the Aquatic Centre under construction.
Windows Next to a Boundary Line
The rooftop deck sat close to a boundary line facing the neighbouring Aquatic Centre construction, so windows facing that direction would have required costly fire-rated walls. We blocked the eastern facade with core-filled masonry and stepped the roofline to bring in natural light through clerestory windows instead, while a darker ceiling colour softened the space and camouflaged services overhead.
Redesigning Around a Late Addition
Midway through design, Barwon Health added a full regional sterilisation unit to the brief, and we worked closely with engineers to redesign around it without disrupting the programme. Knowing some patients can be distressed or unpredictable, we provided a reception desk with back-of-house access only, floor fixed beam seating and added a subwait/ quiet room off the waiting area.
A Facility That Puts People at Ease
The finished facility is full of light and colour resulting in staff enjoying working in the new facility, and patients appreciating the calm, welcoming feel from the moment they arrive. Earthy tones and hard-wearing materials mean it will keep performing for years, giving Barwon Health a dental facility that genuinely puts people at ease.