I Am Often Asked…
I am often asked, “James, how do you do what you do? How do you come up with the ideas for your dental office designs?” Well, the simplest answer is research. As part of my initial meeting with my clients, I ask a lot of questions. I like to talk to both the dentist as well as the staff. A large part of this is gathering very practical information, such as: what are the storage needs for each staff person, what is the process for checking patients in and out, and are records kept on paper, digitally, or both. There is a whole other side that only addresses the aesthetics, such as what are everyone’s favorite colors and are there any colors anyone absolutely cannot stand.
My questions are also aimed at determining what the “defining touch” is going to be that sets this dentist and this dental office design apart from all others. Sometimes it is as simple as the duck hunting pictures that the dentist has collected over the years and sometimes it is more involved, like creating an office that has its own built-in soda fountain. Again, this is all discovered through asking questions and spending time with the dentist and the staff prior to ever starting any design.
Lastly, I need to understand the patients that frequent the dental office. The dental office design must be sensitive to the culture of the community that it resides in and serves. The dental design must also reflect the cultural traits of the community that it wants to attract. Sometimes these are not necessarily one in the same. So, again, research on the demographics of the community and the patients is required.
I’ve recently been asked to design an office that will resemble an Apple computer store. Part of the research involved going to visit a couple of Apple stores so I’d have a better understanding of what they looked and felt like. I’m also working on some preliminary concepts for a Mediterranean themed office. As part of this research I came across this great picture gallery of a small town in Greece. Now, if only we had it in the project budget to actually take a visit to conduct more intensive research! Enjoy!
