The design of the Westwood Family Health Center reflects the needs of the neighborhood. An emphasis on appropriate materials, scale and contextual relations was sought out in order to successfully complete the neighborhood fabric while adding a needed health care component to the community. Stucco, metal siding and brick finishes give the clinic a complexion of identifiable sources, while shed roof forms maintain a comfortable neighborhood scale. The entry is accessed through an intimate and open plaza for patient pick-up that is accentuated by a crisp, circular concrete sitting bench. A strong, sleek stainless steel entrance tower stands juxtaposed at the inside corner of the entry plaza, establishing it as a secure node offset from traffic.
The functional layout of the clinic allows for natural daylighting in public and high traffic areas, while effectively maintaining privacy for patients. Optimal space planning affords public spaces and main circulation paths to be located along the west side of the building, which allows for excellent views of the Front Range and a sincere dialogue between school and health center. The window wall along the west side of the building is punctuated with a playful cylindrical space, designed and scaled appropriately as a children’s waiting area. Floor to ceiling storefronts contribute to bright interiors and constant ‘way finding’ for user orientation.