Batek Architekten designs Berlin orthodontic clinic that looks more like a boutique or gallery

Avoiding the sterile appearance of most medical interiors, Berlin-based Batek Architekten used soothing shades of pastel yellow and matt silver to bring a sense of softness to orthodontic clinic Hey.

Described by its designers as "quietly playful", Hey combines its two-tone palette with bold geometric elements.

These include a folded steel reception counter, a sculptural bench, and a criss-cross coat rail.

Treatment rooms feature translucent walls of glass-fibre-reinforced plastic, while lighting tubes trace graphic lines across the ceiling.

The result is a space that could be mistaken for a high-end fashion boutique or an art gallery.

"We decided early on to work almost monochromatically," said studio founder Patrick Batek.

"A soft pastel yellow runs from the floor up across the walls, enveloping visitors and creating a warm, comforting atmosphere."

Batek Architekten's scheme, overseen by Batek and architect Julia Jensen, evolved from a brief set by the client, doctor Julie Charlotte Angrick, who wanted a clinic where young patients would feel comfortable.

It was this that led Angrick to name it Hey, intended as an informal welcome.

"Most visitors are children and teenagers, and many of them come regularly over several years," explained Batek.

"We wanted to create a place that takes away the fear of the clinical environment without being childish," he told Dezeen.

"Instead of colourful decoration, we chose radical reduction."

The same thinking shaped the visual identity developed by graphic design studio Bailey und Bailey, which includes a logo incorporating a smiley face emoticon.

The visual aesthetic didn't come at the expense of functionality or hygiene.

Located in the north of Berlin, the 178-square-metre clinic occupies a former pharmacy. The architects completely cleared and reconfigured the floor plan, optimising the flow of patients through different spaces.

Textiled tiles line wet rooms and other surfaces that are likely to be touched often, while the yellow-toned floor was cast from a plant-based resin. This floor was the biggest challenge of the project.

"A surface like this needs a perfect substrate, because every irregularity underneath would become visible," said Batek.

"Preparing the subfloor required great precision, but it was essential for the continuous yellow to work as one uninterrupted surface."

The architects completed the design by picking out a few elements in red, matching the sign on the wall of the reception area.

These include room numbers, chairs and signs indicating toothbrushing areas.

Cabinets are integrated into the walls, allowing tools and equipment to be hidden away.

"The space is reduced but never cold," added Batek. "Above all, it reflects the personality of the client and her way of working with young patients."

The studio has previously also revamped the T7.2 dental clinic in Berlin and renovated a historic cinema in the same city.

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