Mountain Park Health Center Tempe Clinic
SmithGroup and Mountain Park Health Center (MPHC), a non-profit community health center, have created a trusted partnership over the last five years developing and renovating five locations in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Through these projects, the team developed a clinic module that aligns with MPHC’s integrated care model, allowing patients to be seen by a range of healthcare providers in one setting and one visit, ranging from their primary care physician to a pharmacist, behavioral health consultant and registered dietitian. Each clinic’s design is tailored to the diverse needs of the community it serves. In Tempe, the team transformed a former 30,000-square-foot boat dealership into a high functioning clinical space that balances efficiency with amenities that promote overall wellness.
Client
Mountain Park Health Center
Location
Tempe, Arizona
Markets/Services
Ambulatory Care, Health, Health & Wellness, Architecture, MEP Engineering, Landscape Architecture, Interiors
Size
30,000 sf
Featured Awards
American Institute of Architects - Academy of Architecture for Health (AHA), 2020
Fast Company Innovation by Design Awards, Spaces, Places and Cities, Finalist, 2018
Contract Magazine Healthcare Environment Awards – Ambulatory Care, 2017
In partnership with SmithGroup we developed a design that has far surpassed the typical expectation of a community health center, and together have redefined the focal point of our intersection. Our patients and staff have raved about the clinic and its purposeful design, and now our work in Tempe has just begun.
Dr. John Swagert
CEO, Mountain Park Health Center
Inside the clinic, open spaces are defined by vibrant colors while bold graphics help to create a bright, safe environment, in addition to serving as a universal wayfinding device for a diverse population.
A large ‘living room' waiting area features digital check-in and flexible seating areas. Exam rooms with soundproof sliding glass doors are 30% larger than standard to accommodate families and care teams. As a result, the new clinic can accommodate more than 100 visitors at a time. Inclusive design is a top priority for MPHC, and the expansive waiting area is designed to naturally engage with the exterior. The space offers choice and comfort in a community environment promoting both interaction and security.
Taking advantage of the large site, our designers included amenities such as a guided walking trail, activity nodes, children’s play area, a small fruit orchard and a tree nursery to provide healthy food, and an activity lawn, giving the community a place to come together even if not visiting the clinic.
The innovative clinical module is designed as an on-stage/off-stage model with a concourse, allowing for more communication and team interaction during care delivery. There are no private offices, but rather collaborative work rooms for each care team, with small pods for private phone calls or work. Targeting an increase in employee performance and engagement, the design team collaborated with staff to design a kitchen/lounge, patio and small social zones offering unique opportunities for respite.
Mountain Park Heath Center builds wellness through their mission to enrich lives in underserved communities. Through health and well-being, they have found a unique ability to go beyond the exam room as a local support system. Affordable healthcare is the base of their commitment, but they also connect with those in need through various forms of outreach. It is the strength of that advocacy that their patients, families and communities continue to grow and develop. It would have been easy for MPHC to choose a typical institutional clinic. The Tempe clinic demonstrates that an innovative organization with an appreciation for creative design can do even more than provide quality healthcare—it can contribute to a healthy community that enhances the lives of its residents.