Therapie Kreuzplatz
Therapie Kreuzplatz - the oldest physio and osteopathy praxis in Zurich – was forced to move into new premises and decided to see it as a chance for change by envisioning a holistic, multidisciplinary health center offering a variety of therapies, training, and health-related courses. After a pitching round, helsinkizurich was commissioned to help the five partners of Therapie Kreuzplatz to turn their vision into a design.
The new praxis is located in the center of Zurich in a recently finished commercial building occupying a complete 800sqm floor. The program comprises of open areas, treatment rooms, training facilities, a course space, a running laboratory and an eye care center.
The layout was organized to emphasize the core offerings while entering the praxis. A visitor entering the praxis will first experience an ample and friendly space filled with natural light. The reception-desk itself has been designed as a wooden kiosk-pavilion reflecting the idea of selling health products and training related articles for the customers. The open area at the entrance - “market square” - allows for flexible uses during occasional events. Behind a glass wall, the course space for pilates and yoga and the full-fledged training areas are clustered together to form the center and visual focal point of the praxis. A dozen treatment rooms and other smaller spaces are organized around.
Few pragmatic guides have informed the design: functionality is elemental and reduced means a necessity stemming from the financial frame. Everything is there for a reason, anything unnecessary is shaved off, the palettes are reduced, and the detailing is kept simple.
But ultimately at Xplatz, the design goal has been to help generate customer experience centered around health - an environment that supports well-being. The clear layout, the light-filled, airy and open, spaces, uncomplicated aesthetics, and calm colors reduce stress and help focus on what matters.
As a friendly natural material wood is used in places where it is visually most present and effective. The untreated concrete surfaces in the ceiling and walls combine with the greys – upper painted parts of the walls and the continuous linoleum flooring - to form a down-to-earth base. In the open areas, the light rosé color calmly brightens up the walls. The dark forest green colored doors bring contrast and accentuate the entrances of the treatment rooms colored with soothing light watery green. In the corridors and waiting areas, concrete washbasins and mixed Scandinavian furniture bring the necessary detail. The result is almost radical in its economical means and yet softly comforting.
