• Nicole Franzen

    Nicole Franzen

  • Nicole Franzen

    Nicole Franzen

  • Nicole Franzen

    Nicole Franzen

  • Nicole Franzen

    Nicole Franzen

  • Nicole Franzen

    Nicole Franzen

  • Nicole Franzen

    Nicole Franzen

  • Nicole Franzen

    Nicole Franzen

  • Nicole Franzen

    Nicole Franzen

  • Nicole Franzen

    Nicole Franzen

  • Nicole Franzen

    Nicole Franzen

  • Nicole Franzen

    Nicole Franzen

  • Nicole Franzen

    Nicole Franzen

of

Hospitals & Clinics

​​Alda Ly Architecture designs holistic HealthQuarters in NoHo, Manhattan

The flagship health and wellness centre spans 15,000 sq ft over three storeys

by Connor Gill 04 January 2022

HealthQuarters collaborated with the Mount Sinai Health System and independent medical and wellness practitioners to bring a full range of preventive health services under one roof. Alda Ly Architecture (ALA) transformed the loft into a comforting, approachable, and intuitive network of care environments, each designed with a sensitivity for programs and users. 

ALA’s primary goal for HealthQuarters’ flagship location is to bring the concept of care to user experience at every scale. From layout and circulation to waiting lounges, x-ray rooms, and coat hooks, all choices were driven by biophilic design; a set of strategies that draw from nature to enhance people’s mood and cognitive performance. 

The design gives an overarching atmosphere of brightness, openness, and navigability. The first-floor entryway, and adjacent welcoming lounge, were envisioned as a luminous, cosy foyer for visitors. This area sets the tone for the large, multifaceted space that spreads across the historic building; originally built in 1900. 

Common areas and circulation corridors are bright and airy, clad in warm materials and hues: custom white oak millwork with soft curving edges, alabaster-toned walls, terrazzo tabletops, blush, terra cotta, and ocean-blue accents. More intimate, private nooks and care rooms extend off these areas and are filled with deeper hues and more enveloping forms. The first floor is expansive, complete with very high ceilings. 

ALA employs niches, frames, and thresholds to define different uses within open spaces. At a medium scale, slatted, half-arched metal screens distinguish different programs in the welcome lounge, while still allowing for long views across the plant-filled room. On a larger scale, double-height arches indicate transitions from one program to the next. These thresholds create a dynamic experiential journey through the space that acts as a spine, connecting the varied service offerings.

At the individual scale, modular furniture was conceived around the semi-circle. Additionally, custom planters were integrated into a selection of modular furniture, bringing in another biophilic element. All furniture is upholstered in bleach-cleanable, wipe-clean fabrics for durability, cleanliness, and easy maintenance. 


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