The North City Community Health & Wellness Center
Research Summary and Proposal for the
North City Community Health & Wellness Center
Although more than 25 percent of Americans suffer from mental illness, no North St. Louis facility is currently
dedicated to mental illness ("North," 2008, p. 39). Angela Fleming, director of community relations for the St. Louis
Regional Health Commission, stresses that addressing the lack of access to mental health and substance abuse treatment
is a "top priority" in North St. Louis neighborhoods (Fleming, personal communication, January 12, 2010).
The 2008 "North St. Louis Health Care Access Study" showed that the health of the city's African-Americans
is worse than not only the health of the white population, but also that of the U.S. African-American population as a whole
(p. vi). Of the five healthcare facilities in North St. Louis, none are located in the most heavily populated ZIP codes,
where approximately 90 percent of the residents are African-American. The two area codes with the largest populations
in North St. Louis--63115 and 63147--have the least access to healthcare ("North," 2008, p. 36).
For this reason, we propose to design a community health center in the 63115 ZIP code, centrally located for
North St. Louis residents. The center will take a holistic approach to physical and mental health, housing a primary healthcare clinic with a specialty in mental health, especially for men, a group underserved in this area.
Too often, designs for traditional health and mental health treatment facilities are more institutional than therapeutic. To counter that stereotype and provide an optimum environment for healing, this facility will rely on evidence-based
design (EBD), which draws from research to employ elements shown to reduce patients' pain and anxiety and improve
their outcomes (Zimring, 2008; Huffcut, 2010). In keeping with EBD, the center's design will maximize available
natural light, highlight the outdoor view, and incorporate natural elements to provide a homelike atmosphere. Soothing
color schemes in blues, purples, and greens will promote calm and wellbeing. Nature-inspired murals will bring the outside
in, even when there is no direct view to the exterior. An outdoor garden behind the facility will be a gathering space for
the entire community. To act as a neighborhood resource, the facility will incorporate a welcoming reception area, lounge
area, and a room for group counseling and local support group meetings. A library and media area in the meeting room will
provide materials for information and education. The design will be supported by wireless networking so that patients,
visitors, and staff will feel connected, not isolated (Guzzo, 2010; Carr, 2010).
The location and design of this community health center will support the high quality healthcare, counseling, and
education it will offer. Its overarching goal is to provide a foundation of health that will translate into reduced rates of
drug addiction, domestic abuse, gang violence, poverty, and incarceration in this at-risk population. In addition, its staff
will work to build connections, strengthen families, and instill a sense of empowerment for all North St. Louis residents.
9
FLOOR PLAN
SCALE: 1/8"=1'-0"
BIBLIOGRAPHY
B
KEY TO FLOOR PLAN
1. Water heater and electrical box for facility.
2. Miniature refrigerator for staff.
3. Two-drawer filing cabinet.
4. Sliding translucent window panels for secure patient check-in (K,
L - Slide 2)
5. ADA-compliant checkout with 42"-high surface at right, deskheight surface at left.
6. Wheelchair-accessible table.
7. Magazine rack.
8. Ceiling height in meeting room is 12'0" A.F.F.
SUSTAINABLE & ECO-CONSCIOUS MATERIALS
1. Translucent panels (K, L - Slide 2) in waiting room door and reception window are impact resistant, contain 40%recycled content, and
are certified by Greenguard Indoor Air Quality.
2. Marmoleum linoleum (U, V - Slide 2) for entry, exam room, baths,
and lab contain 46.5% recycled content and 33% rapidly renewable
materials and is certified by SMaRT (Sustainable Materials Rating
Technology),
3. Luxury vinyl tile from Decoria (W - Slide 2) in the waiting area
and break room contains 67% recycled vinyl content. The tiles are
also treated with a product called Nano-Silver to provide the floor with
antibacterial properties.
4. The Signature Crypton carpeting (T - Slide 2) in hall and offices is
stain-, mold-, odor-, and bacteria-resistant, and its BioCel backing is
made from 70% recycled content.
6. Textiles from DesignTex (R, S - Slide 2) are made from recycled
materials and those from Momentum (M, N, O - Slide 2) are Greenguard-certified for indoor air quality.
7. Wallcoverings from Omnova Solutions' Avant line (G, H, I - Slide 2),
are PVC-free, Greenguard-certified, and 100% recyclable.
8. Steelcase's Walden line (X - Slide 2)are Silver MBDC Cradle to
Cradle Certified and made from 17% recyclable and 75% recyclable
content. Materials in its Sync line (F - Slide 2) are 41%recyclable and
63% recycled. Think chairs (pictured in F - Slide 2) are 98% recyclable post-use, earning it a Cradle-to-Cradle Product Certification.
9. Rolling cart for medical tools and supplies.
10. 42"-high standing counter with lab refrigerator and locked storage
for drugs underneath.
11. Sliding-door pass-through for samples to lab.
12. Wooden cubbies for toy baskets in play area.
13. Child-sized table and chairs.
14. Bookshelf for children's books.
15. Floating suspended ceiling panels from Armstrong's Optima line over
waiting area at 12'0" A.F.F.
16. Partial wall at 5'0" A.F.F.
17. Ceilings in medical areas, offices, break room and bathrooms are
10'0" A.F.F.
Huffcut, J. (October 2010). Can Design Promote Healing? Behavioral Healthcare, 30(9): 33-35.
North St. Louis Health Care Access Study. (2008). North St. Louis Health Care Access Study Task Force.
Zimring, C., Augenbroe, G., Malone, E., Sadler, B. (September 2008). Implementing Healthcare Excellence: The Vital
Role of the CEO in Evidence-Based Design, White Paper Series 3/5, Evidence-Based Design Resources for Healthcare Executives. The Center for Health Design. Retrieved January 11, 2011, from www.healthdesign.org/sites/default/files/
HCLeader_3_CEORoleWP.pdf.
KEY TO FINISHES - SLIDE 1
SPECIAL DESIGN FEATURES
1. In the back of the facility is a community garden to support patients'
physical and mental health.
2. Colors throughout have been chosen to reinforce the center's focus on
mental health. Blues and greens calm while yellow tones add warmth to
the northern light entering the front windows.
3. Custom-etched front windows can be created to the client's specifications in designs to reflect the character and history of the neighborhood.
4. The flooring in the entryway is designed to bring cool colors into the
space and suggest the nearby rivers that are integral to the city.
5. The ability to open the meeting room to the waiting area for larger
events supports the facility's dual goals: to provide personal interactions through small group meetings and connect to the community as a
whole.
FULFILLMENT OF CODE REQUIREMENTS
1. Main corridor is 5'0" wide; corridor in staff area is 4'0" wide.
2. Bathrooms are ADA-compliant; exam rooms have 5'0" turn radius.
3. Reception check-in and check-out are secure and ADA-compliant.
4. Exam room doors open in a way that protects patient privacy.
5. All doors are 36" wide or greater and comply with push/pull codes.
6. Floors in exam, bath, and lab areas comply with wet/dry conditions.
7. Exam rooms and lab contain sinks for handwashing.
8. Patient files are in secure area; locked storage is provided for
staff.
9. All flooring is flush.
10. All fabrics are rated for use in a medical facility.
BREAK ROOM SECTION
SCALE: 1/4"=1'-0"
Carr, R. (December 2010). Outpatient Clinic. Whole Building Design Guide. Retrieved January 11, 2011, from www.wbdg.
org/design/outpatient.php.
Guzzo Vickery, C. (May 2010). Interior Innovations for 21st-Century Hospitals. Healthcare Design, 10(5): 80-86.
A. "Reach," a photo mural
by Irene Suchocki, one of
several photo murals that will
adorn feature walls throughout the facility, including the
waiting areas, meeting room,
exam rooms and hallway.
"Reach" will be on the north
wall of the wait area outside
the counselor's office.
B. Example of custom etched
glass treatment for front
windows.
C. Piestra Glass 11"L x
5"H wall sconce for reception wall.
D. Sliding and pivoting
acoustical doors by movable
wall company Brockhouse,
which separate the meeting
room from the reception and
waiting room area.
A
B
A
D
C
MEETING ROOM SECTION
SCALE: 1/4"=1'-0"
SLIDE 1 OF 2
A
The North City Community Health & Wellness Center
DESIGN CONCEPT STATEMENT
EXAM ROOM - PERSPECTIVE
WAITING ROOM - PERSPECTIVE
The design of the North City Community Health & Wellness Center taps into nature to improve the physical and
mental wellbeing of its patients and community. This sensibility begins with the entrance, where the glass door and
front windows display a nature-inspired, custom-etched
mural to welcome visitors and admit natural light while protecting patient privacy and comfort. In the reception area,
light colors accentuate the northern light, while warm wood
tones on the floor and calming blues and greens in the textiles ground the space. A translucent panel in the waiting
room door transmits light to the back of the facility through
the translucent waiting room door. Nature-inspired photo
murals adorn walls in the waiting areas, meeting room, exam
rooms, and hall. The meeting room can be an intimate space
for group therapy sessions when its soundproof wall panels
are closed; when these panels are opened and pushed
aside, the room joins with the waiting area to accommodate
larger gatherings. To underscore the center's outreach
efforts, its large lot accommodates a community garden,
accessible from a side gate or through the back door. The
garden provides a park-like atmosphere and fresh produce
for residents, as well as a secondary therapeutic space
for the facility's mental health providers. In all, these elements work together to sustain the center's care of the
community's physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
A
B
F
C
E
D
COUNSELOR'S OFFICE - PERSPECTIVE
H
G
M
I
N
L
J
FIVE DESIGN GOALS
O
K
1. To address the mental health and wellness needs of
North St. Louis City residents.
2. To provide a restorative atmosphere where residents
can receive general healthcare as well as treatment for
mental illness, behavioral counseling, group counseling and
access to support groups.
P
T
X
U
3. To design a facility that reflects and respects the
values and history of residents living in North St. Louis.
4. To create an educational resource center where parents, teachers and providers can learn and exchange information regarding mental health and related issues.
5. To create a space that promotes an integrated and
holistic approach to healthcare encompassing mind, body
and spirit.
Z
V
Y
W
a
KEY TO FURNITURE & FINISHES - SLIDE 2
A. Steelcase Mitra furniture group, as guest furniture in waiting areas, offices, and exam rooms.
B. Opus modular furniture, Steelcase, for exam rooms.
C. Mitra armchair, upholstery and wood.
D. Mitra drum side table.
E. Mitra regular side table.
F. Sync caregiver station, Steelcase, for nurse's station.
G. Avant wallcovering, Omnova Solutions, Allestra Rainforest in
all offices.
H. Avant wallcovering, Omnova Solutions, Wycliff Linen, in waiting room and hallway.
I. Avant wallcovering, Omnova Solutions, Straight Talk Sunbeam, in exam rooms and break room.
J. Almond cherry veneer for all Steelcase casegoods.
K. 3-form translucent panel, Amazon, for waiting room door
panel.
L. 3-form translucent panel, Fossil Leaf Random, for sliding
panels in reception window.
M. Momentum fabric, Ardour in Aloe, for waiting room chairs.
N. Momentum fabric, Recollection in Spa, for exam room guest
chairs.
O. Momentum fabric, Telegram in Marine, for waiting room and
break room sofas.
P. Mayer Fabrics, Bebop in Palm, on break room chairs.
Q. Omnova Solutions, Boltaflex Duratouch All Star in Truffle,
for office desk chairs.
R. DesignTex fabric, Bliss in Prairie Dust, for chairs in counselor's office.
S. DesignTex fabric, Bliss in Amethyst, for sofa in counselor's
office.
T. Signature carpet, Arbor Witch Hazel, in hall and offices.
U. Marmoleum sheet linoleum, Fresco, in entry and lab.
V. Marmoleum sheet linoleum, Green Wellness, in entry and
baths.
W. Decoria luxury vinyl tile, Carbonized Bamboo, in waiting
room.
X. Steelcase Walden office line, in all private offices.
Y. Steelcase guest chair, Mingle, in meeting room.
Z. Steelcase desk chair, Gentry, in all private offices.
a. Steelcase stool, Switch, in break room dining area.
S
R
Q
SLIDE 2 OF 2