One of the Best Health Care Building Designs Is a Planned Parenthood in Queens

Aug 02, 20168:48 AM

8-Int._Recovery_PPQ_Photocredit Michael Moran — The recovery room at the Planned Parenthood in Queens is lit by skylights.
Michael Moran Photography Inc.

Planned Parenthood’s Diane L. Max Health Center in Queens, New York, is one of seven projects selected for the American Institute of Architects’ national Healthcare Design Awards. Designed by Stephen Yablon Architecture for Planned Parenthood of New York City, the center is a bright, colorful 14,400-square-foot space equipped with exam, treatment, procedure, counseling, recovery, and waiting and community areas that the architects describe as “sleek and uplifting,” embodying “the mission of quality care for all.”

5-Int._Stair_Blue_PPQ_Photocredit Michael Moran — “Framed views, natural light, and bold color encourage stair use,” the architects said.
Michael Moran Photography Inc.

A welcome sign in multiple languages greets visitors, and the facility’s gleaming white interiors are rescued from feeling clinical thanks to color-coded lighting and space planning that makes it simple to navigate, helping to reduce patient stress. There are skylights in the recovery room and large windows in the waiting rooms, including a main waiting area located on the front façade. The New York Times pointed out that street-facing windows are covered in translucent film and made of bulletproof or bullet-resistant glass; there’s also a magnetometer at the guarded entrance.

4-Int._Stair_Green_PPQ_Photocredit Michael Moran — The architects transformed the fire stairs using fire-rated glass, natural light, and colorful graphics.
Michael Moran Photography Inc.

6-Int.+Hallway_Panoramic_Photocredit Michael Moran — Color accents help orient patients and cheer up spaces lacking natural light.
Michael Moran Photography Inc.

7-Int._Hallway_Exam_Rooms_PPQ_Photocredit Michael Moran — Color coding includes lighting, signage, and interior finishes throughout the building.
Michael Moran Photography Inc.

3-Int._Reception_Desk_PPQ_Photocredit Michael Moran — Curved architecture and color highlights help soften the gleaming white space.
Michael Moran Photography Inc.

2-Int._Reception_Waiting_Area_PPQ_Photocredit Michael Moran — The main waiting area and public spaces are located along the front street façade.
Michael Moran Photography Inc.

The architects said in a project description that Planned Parenthood of New York City sought a design that would “evoke respect for patient dignity and individual reproductive health choice, and provide an excellent patient experience, particularly for the youth in the borough,” calling it “a model for future reproductive health facilities.”