St. Luke’s needed to combine and expand local area clinics to serve a growing population in rural Fruitland, Idaho and Ontario, Oregon. The architecture (by others) replicates the St. Luke’s brand while the interior designed by CSHQA avoids a ‘city doctors’ sensibility and comfortably reflects the community values and agricultural heritage.
Important considerations for the 82,000 sf clinic included wayfinding, clear separation of public and private spaces, and a welcoming atmosphere for the people of Fruitland and surrounding rural areas. The layout, extensive signage, and the separation of clinic, emergency and lab traffic contribute to successful wayfinding inside the clinic spaces.
The interior color palette, art and furnishes connect to the rural farming community with colors and textures incorporating wheat, fruit trees, hay and other natural elements. Materials and finishes had to meet strict standards for medical environments, as well be durable and long-lasting.
The public/private separation was very clear, with what is termed a hard separation, and contributes to the privacy necessary in a medical setting. At the same time, the nurses’ stations are open and accessible and doctors’ offices are adjacent to exam rooms. This aspect of design was important to allow clients to see the caregivers.
Throughout the process there was significant collaboration between the end users/caregivers and the design team to ensure both their immediate and long-term needs would be met.
