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Article from issue 12/2006 »Functional Roof Areas«

Dental Clinic in Otake

documentation p. 1406 - 1408
Architect Sambuichi Architects | Structural Engineer Arup Japan |

Drafts
1:500 Floor plan
1:500 Section

The elongated roof structures of this clinic extension form a green island in the surrounding fabric, which consists largely of grey brick and stone buildings. To integrate the new development into the old, the examination and treatment spaces were laid out on the first floor – at the same level as those in the existing municipal clinic with its rendered facades. On the level below is a parking area. The new treatment and waiting areas are daylighted via large north-facing windows that ensure an even level of illumination without glare. The soffit of the curved roof is lined entirely with wood, creating a warm atmosphere that helps people to forget that they are in a clinic. The view out of the internal spaces also has a calming, reassuring effect. One sees either the verdant roof of the adjoining structure or the tips of a row of trees that have been incorporated in the ensemble, the vegetation changing colour with the advancing seasons. Along the north side, the trees define an outdoor zone that adjoins the parking area and that is reached via a flight of steps. The green of the trees blends with that of the roofs, where the planted layer is restrained from slipping by a metal grille. The plywood sheeting beneath the substrate layer is laid on curved timber beams. Timber was chosen as a basic material because of its low thermal conductivity. In addition to its aesthetic role, the planted layer acts as a climatic buffer.