Paediatric Clinic x Painter’s Studio “Wellbeing Playscape”
“We created an unusually warm and playful atmosphere for this specialist clinic; young patients would interact with the floor trail and climbing platforms, which in turn helps the doctor better observe the patients’ natural body movements as part of the consultation process.” — Lorène Faure, co-founder of Bean Buro . This is a special clinic where the doctor can also carry out his passion for painting and display his pieces on a gallery wall.
Architizer chatted with Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui, Design Director at Bean Buro to learn more about the project.
Architizer: Please summarize the project brief and creative vision behind your project.
Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui: Bean Buro was entrusted with the design of a private clinic specialised in paediatric orthopaedics and scoliosis in Hong Kong. The doctor and owner wanted a unique clinic that feels welcoming to children and parents, while encouraging patients to interact with the environment which would enable the doctor to observe the natural body movements.
Inspired by the medical disciplines of orthopaedics scoliosis, the space would be ordered by the idea of a ‘spine’ that runs across the floor space, organising the functional spaces along with it, such as the consultation rooms and customer waiting areas.
We also addressed the doctor’s love for painting, and created various artistically driven ideas, such as the creation of a painter’s studio, art gallery and event space.
© Bean Buro
What inspired the initial concept for your design?
We were inspired by children’s curiosity and fairytales, which was reflected in the design. We carefully integrated rounded shapes of various sizes across the concrete floor, creating a ‘bean trail’, as a playful way to engage young patients and nurture their curiosity.
© Bean Buro
What do you believe is the most unique or ‘standout’ component of the project?
The most unique feature of the project is the timber stepped platform which serves as a small playground for the child patients to climb on. The doctor would be able to observe the children’s natural movement as they play in their most relaxed state—replacing the typical formal consultation room setting, which is often sterile and stiff.
© Bean Buro
What was the greatest design challenge you faced during the project, and how did you navigate it?
When designing for children, the challenges are to try to see the spaces from their point of view, which is very different from an adult’s experience of the same space. How would we design an engaging space for both adults and children? It requires different stimulation strategies such as the play of scale and visual elements.
© Bean Buro
What drove the selection of materials used in the project?
The main goal with the colour and materials palette was to create a clinic that differs from the typical clinical white setting by keeping things soft, textured, and warm. The feature wall is constructed in timber, while the floor is finished in concrete, accented with various bean shapes. The ‘bean trail’ is has a shiny, bronze metallic finish to attract children and incite their curiosity.
© Bean Buro
How have your clients responded to the finished project?
We have received extremely positive feedbacks from the doctors and staff at the clinic. They say that parents and patients are drawn to the unusually relaxed and homey feel of this clinic, and that the children have been intuitively interacting with the space!
© Bean Buro
© Bean Buro
Bean Buro Team: Lorène Faure, Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui, Winnie Chan, Kayley Lai, Linda Sze-ToMain Contractor / Project Manager: Winsmart Contracting Co. Ltd Client: Paediatric Orthopaedics and Scoliosis Clinic Area: approx. 1,000sqft (approx. 93sqm) Location: Central, Hong Kong.
For more information on The Wellbeing Playscape, visit the in-depth project profile on Architizer.
Wellbeing Playscape 
