Nery do Vale Clinic seeks to reconcile technique and sensitivity, function and care.
The project began with a cold, austere space typical of many clinics: a blind corridor, overcrowded rooms, makeshift solutions, and no proper consulting room or shared kitchenette. Yet, there was potential for connection with nature.
The proposal aims to create a calm, welcoming environment to counter the intimidating image of dental care. Clinical imperatives—asepsis, disinfection, ergonomics—are met without sacrificing warmth. Wood, texture, and careful detailing evoke a domestic, comforting atmosphere.
The reception sets the tone: parquet flooring, informal seating, a writing desk-like counter, and soft colours break from the sterile norm. Circulation now follows natural light, reinforcing the connection to an old granite wall and surrounding greenery.
Glass blocks mediate between corridor and treatment rooms, revealing a therapeutic garden. The dental chair faces this view, with a discreet bench for a companion.
Support furniture adopts a domestic character—sideboards and cabinets—without compromising technical performance. Anti-static, seamless flooring, disinfectable surfaces, and shadow-free lighting ensure functional rigour. Warm lighting in waiting and shared areas adds comfort and identity.
A parallel clinical route, developed through sliding doors, ensures efficient, separate circulation.
The consulting room echoes the domestic world through timber, colour, informal furniture, and a small kitchenette, creating a space for both care and dialogue.
The sterilisation area runs between clean and contaminated flows, supporting technical procedures. The intervention also includes orthopantomography, a sanitary facility, changing room, and technical area.
Beyond organising functions, the project reflects on architecture’s role in care—restoring empathy, dignity, and closeness to the clinical experience through light, material, and nature. A space that welcomes as much as it heals.
