St-Étienne Dental Clinic

Discipline : Architecture

Categories : Commercial Building / Retail, Health Clinic & Small Commercial Space : Silver certification

Context

Founded in 1986, St-Étienne dental clinic has been driven by a desire to offer quality care in a modern and welcoming environment. In 2021, to meet its new challenges related to growth and the evolution of its services, the clinic commissioned Atelier Guy architects to rethink and improve its facilities.

Facing a growing demand and an increasingly competitive context for the recruitment of qualified professionals, the clinic strategically chose to move away from its rental premises to invest in the construction of a brand new clinic, larger and better suited to its needs. This decision was also part of a desire to support the company's expansion and to improve the experience of both patients and employees.

The new clinic, located right across from the old one, was designed to meet the challenges of the modern dental sector while offering a calming and functional atmosphere. The ambitious expansion doubled the number of operating rooms, thus better accommodating the influx of patients and streamlining operations. At the same time, the optimization of workspaces also helped to enhance the comfort and efficiency of dentists and all staff.

Beyond the technical and functional aspects, the construction had positive impacts on the goals of recruiting and retaining staff: by offering a more modern and pleasant work environment, the clinic was able to attract new talents and retain its current employees, a crucial challenge in a field where competition is increasingly present.

Finally, the strategic location of the new clinic, in immediate proximity to the old one, allowed regular patients to continue their treatments without significant disruption, thus creating continuity in the trust relationship that binds patients to the clinic.

This construction project not only modernized the facilities but also contributed to the sustainability and growth of St-Étienne dental clinic, while addressing its human and organizational challenges.

Concept

St-Étienne dental clinic is structured around three distinct volumes with complementary functions: the administrative sector, the technical block and operating rooms, and the employee living spaces. This spatial organization meets a need for efficiency while considering the search for a calming work and treatment environment.

The administrative sector is designed to be welcoming, reassuring, and warm, creating a positive first impression right at the entrance. The space is planned to make patients feel confident upon arrival: the materials, colors, and layout of spaces promote a sense of calm and well-being, thereby enhancing the clinic's image as a professional and humane care facility.

The technical block has been designed to highlight the cutting-edge technologies used by the clinic. The design of this space was conceived to offer transparency and openness that inspire trust in patients regarding the rigor and precision of the facilities.

The client's main desire was to provide large windows in each operating room that open to the outside, creating a bright and pleasant work environment for the staff while reducing stress for patients during treatment.

Particular attention was paid to loop circulations throughout the building, a structuring choice that ensures smooth paths without any dead ends. This organization allows for the optimization of movements and flows between different areas, creating a logical and intuitive circulation for patients, staff, and visitors.

The hybrid steel/wood structure aligns with the company's values. Steel, a solid and modern material, is used in closed technical spaces to ensure durability and cost optimization. In contrast, wood is present in public areas and employee living spaces, adding a warm and welcoming dimension. The combination of these materials creates a blend of modernity and conviviality, reinforcing the clinic's identity and human approach.

The architectural project, both functional and aesthetic, thus meets the practical and technical needs of the clinic while respecting the client's ambition: to create a modern, warm, innovative space focused on the well-being of patients and staff.

Layout

The project stems from three major spaces that coexist. At the heart of the clinic, a technical block where specialized equipment such as radiology, sterilization center, 3D scanning and printing, consultation room, and offices are located.

Around the core, on the periphery of the building, there are 15 closed treatment rooms, intimate and filled with natural light.

Then, two large spaces were generated, namely the reception and the employees' room. Both benefit from large spaces made of a structural beam and wood bridge system and generous fenestration, all efforts have been made to create comfortable, bright, and calming spaces, both for the employees and the clinic's patient base. Located on the second level, the employees' room benefits from a spacious roof terrace.

Conclusion

The project of St-Étienne dental clinic represents a real turning point in the evolution of the company, both architecturally and humanly. The transformation of the facilities has allowed the doubling of the capacity of operating rooms, while creating functional and modern spaces that meet the growing needs of the clinic. The harmonious integration of materials such as steel and wood reinforces the clinic's identity, combining durability, modernity, and warmth. The smooth circulation, generous fenestration, and spaces bathed in natural light were designed to promote both the comfort of employees and the confidence of patients.

By placing humans at the heart of the project, this new clinic offers an optimal and reassuring work environment, conducive to staff recruitment and retention, while allowing the patient base to continue to benefit from care in a modern and calming setting.

The project in images