| Santa Ysabel
Community Health Center, Santa Ysabel
 The
client sought to design a health center that architecturally
addressed the cultural significance of the nearby community,
one that would encourage and comfort local clientele seeking
medical and dental services. Utilizing creative forms and
strong geometries, the facility invites users inside.
HMC designed a structure that architecturally met the needs
of the local Indian community while maintaining a state-of-the-art
facility that addressed the community's health care concerns.
The challenges surrounding the $1.8 million project were
twofold: time and money. Grant funding was contingent on rapid
approval of signed construction documents. HMC developed designs
in less than a month and obtained approvals for complete building
plans in approximately 12 weeks.
"HMC Project Manager Kent Hems realized our vision,"
said Romelle Majel-McCauley, director of operations for the
Indian Health Council Inc. "We sat in a forum and discussed
what was important, bringing those elements into the design.
We met weekly and Kent was always present, showing great commitment
to the project. We couldn't have asked for a better group."
"People want to go there. They're
proud of it. I think our success with this facility
may encourage other Indian communities to develop similar
health care facilities that reflect their own history
and cultural views."
-Romelle Majel-McCauley,
director of operations, Indian Health Council Inc.
|
The final product was a single-story, 6,107-sq.-ft. structure
that features a dental and medical office complex and support
facility.
The design solution for Santa Ysabel Community Health Center
metaphorically grew from the land on which it sits. The facility
was strategically positioned in response to the movement of
the sun, capturing distant views of the valley and mountains
beyond. The imagery of the vegetation and the natural rock
outcroppings found in the Santa Ysabel Valley provided the
inspiration, as well as a significant connection for the cultural
historic relationship with the earth.
"There is a very old oak tree in the back that we wanted
symbolically represented in the lobby," Majel-McCauley
said. Addressing this, the structural "canopy" of
the entry/waiting room represents the oak trees, inviting
visitors to the clinic to sit and relax beneath its "branches."
Wood, earth, rock and stone comprise the interior and exterior
environment. Plantings familiar to local residents are used
on the grounds of the center, including sagebrush, San Diego
honeysuckle, poppy and ash.
The Development Team
Owner: Indian Health Council Inc.
Architect: HMC Architects
General contractor: Roel Construction Co.
Engineers: Burkett and Wong (structural)
HVAC Engineering (mechanical)
Tanner Engineering (electrical)
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