Atmosphere of well-being due to glass design

Architects revert more and more to glass when they plan medical practices. Not surprisingly, as it helps to light rooms and is easy to clean, hygienic and modern. The patient shall feel good and the room design can actually, if well implemented, convey a feeling of comfort, where nobody expects it. If so, the interior design becomes the flagship.

Architect Bettina Koenen talks about two different atmospheres which should merge in concept development: 'When planning buildings of the public health sector, it is all about the creation of recovery-supporting surroundings. Therefore, two atmospheres must be accumulated - the patient-oriented (comfortable, pleasant, welcoming) on the one hand and the medically functional (efficient, technological, state of the art technology) on the other hand. In union they generate confidence and security.'

Especially the various opportunities of glass refinement, which are nowadays available on the market, make glass a preferred building material. Thus, colored, printed or plain insulated and laminated glass units decorate waiting rooms and surgeries.

Thiele Glas already delivered individual glasses for several medical practices, among the dental surgery in Ansbach and the awarded reference object 'Zahnärzte im Kaisersaal' in Berlin.

Another current stylish reference has its site in Berlin: The practice for neurology and beauty at the Potsdamer Platz. A ceramic white digital frit with a density of 50 % graces a <link internal-link internal link in current>TG-PROTECT^®-TVG pane measured 1,800 x 2,420 mm.

'It was the explicit wish of the principal to advertise the new Botox-beauty area by discreet visibility. For this purpose, in one part of the project a ceiling-high approx. 1.80 m wide printed glass pane was installed. Due to the fritted pattern, which matches the one of the wall paper, the glass partition is not completely transparent and appears like a mesh which discreetly allows a sight to the treatment chair behind', Koenen explains.

The room is well accepted because the resulting attractiveness makes the visit more pleasant and conveys a sense of well-being, which clearly became more and more the trend among many practices. Bettina Koenen faces this trend, too. More and more interior architects are in charge for practice planning and the principals become more courageous, especially in terms of color. Tender green or orange fade into background and instead plumb blue, lemon yellow or stone and earth-colors are used. It is no longer about purely functional aesthetic; rather it is oriented to hotels, lounges or parlors. The materials used are more fancy and high-grade.

'Customer's most value well-designed functionality. Many of them are surprised that functionality can have such manifold appearances. A balanced overall concept of functionality, color, material and illumination is always important. Such a concept is well-implemented at the Potsdamer Platz', Bettina Koenen adds.