The new Cedars-Sinai Los Feliz Urgent Care Clinic in Los Angeles plays against type, offering a stylized design to what are typically mundane, utilitarian buildings. Exterior features echo two Frank Lloyd Wright-designed iconic homes in the surrounding Los Feliz neighborhood. Textured stone tile on the ground level facade is reminiscent of the Ennis House, while green and white concrete brick—featuring custom incised geometric patterns including company initials—on the plinth level is inspired by the Samuel Novarro house.
The facility is located on busy Hillhurst Avenue, the main street of the Los Feliz neighborhood where local shops, bars, and restaurants are located. The clinic matches the scale, aesthetic, and character of the area that includes diverse architectural heritage spanning Spanish, Art Deco, Mayan Revival, Mid-Century, and contemporary eras. The nuanced four-box design features a textured façade that breaks down the scale of the boxes to evoke a patchwork form reminiscent of the rich pastiche of structures in Los Feliz.
The second-floor exterior is wrapped in matte black corrugated metal panels that create a rain screen system separating the stucco finish of the building and effectively keeping the building cooler. It also appears lower than it is to create a pedestrian-scale experience at the street level.
Natural light was a priority in the design. An airy two-story atrium draws in natural daylight and acts as a beacon in the neighborhood, especially at night when it appears to glow. Generous natural light also permeates exam rooms which can often be constrictive, dark, and claustrophobic in typical clinic designs. Cedars-Sinai opted to sacrifice 600 sf of profitable space to enhance the environment for patients and staff, allowing for more windows and outdoor space. A light at the end of each hallway provides illumination, enhancing the patient experience as they proceed deeper into the building and easing an experience that is often fraught with anxiety.
A series of murals by local artists including Nigel Sussman and Sarajo Friedman incorporate Neighborhood-specific imagery and bright colors. A staff patio located on the second story looks out onto the street to invite engagement with the neighborhood.
On the building team:
Owner and/or developer: Cedars-Sinai Health System
Design architect: Abramson Architects
Architect of record: Abramson Architects
MEP engineer: REX Engineering
Structural & Civil Engineer: LFA, Caitlin Bishop Project Engineer
General contractor/construction manager: Pankow, Jasen Greenberg, Project Manager
Related Stories
| Feb 6, 2013
RSMeans cost comparisons: office buildings and medical offices
RSMeans' February 2013 Cost Comparison Report breaks down the average construction costs per square foot for four types of office buildings across 25 metro markets.
| Dec 9, 2012
AEC professionals cautiously optimistic about commercial construction in ’13
Most economists say the U.S. is slowly emerging from the Great Recession, a view that was confirmed to some extent by an exclusive survey of 498 BD+C subscribers whose views we sought on the commercial construction industry’s outlook on business prospects for 2013.
| Nov 11, 2012
Greenbuild 2012 Report: Healthcare
Green medical facilities extend beyond hospital walls
| Oct 24, 2012
Loma Linda University Medical Center lets light in with metal wall systems
Designers for the building aimed to create a positive environment for patients and visitors, and wanted to let in as much natural daylight as possible.
| Oct 11, 2012
Hank Adams Named to Lead HDR’s Healthcare Program
With more than 25 years of experience, HDR vice president is tapped to lead firm's healthcare projects.
| Oct 10, 2012
Skanska to Construct Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University Pavilion
Skanska USA announced that it has been awarded an $80 million contract to construct a new Children’s Pavilion at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.
| Oct 2, 2012
Bernards working on project at L.A. White Memorial Medical Center
The new facility is a $15-million, 41,000-sf concrete structure which includes three stories of medical office space atop a three-level parking garage.
| Sep 28, 2012
Seattle is home to first LEED-certified modular radiation center
By using modular construction and strategic site design, RAD Medical Systems built the first radiation center to receive LEED certification.
| Sep 20, 2012
Forrester begins construction of freestanding cancer center in Montgomery County, Md.
The new 51,000-square-foot building will include two linear accelerator vaults for radiation equipment.
| Sep 7, 2012
Healthcare architects get a preview of tomorrow’s medical landscape
The topic on everyone’s mind was how the Affordable Care Act would impact healthcare design and construction––and whether the law would even make it past the coming election cycle.
