Studio Dental

Lead Designers Sean O'Connor and David Hahn

Entry Description

Located in a historic building in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, this modern office was conceived to play a role in the revitalization of a troubled neighborhood. A refined, contemporary aesthetic, with warm, indirect lighting creates a serene environment, redefining the dentist office experience.
A challenging space with a deep core and tight circulation areas, the design solution is a conceptual lantern inserted into the building’s core that emanates luminosity while providing transparency and storefront identity. A series of illuminated wall panels traverse the interior, guiding patients to reception and procedure rooms. The wall panels are the primary light source providing soft, scallop-free lighting through the narrow circulation areas.
A bench runs the length of the waiting area, where detailed lighting illuminates the textured walls. Wood trellises separate the bench and procedure rooms while maintaining openness. Custom monopoints are integrated into trellis elements providing downlighting into the waiting and circulation areas.
In procedure rooms, low-ambient light levels and a careful use of task and overhead lighting eliminates glare, ensuring visual comfort.