Rehabilitation centre design recognised for welcoming quality

The FlySolo Rehabilitation Medical Centre, designed by Tenderstream member UNStudio, has reached the shortlist of the inaugural Dezeen China Awards. Selected as a contender in the health and wellbeing interior category, the centre in Beijing provides intervention services for children and adolescents, with a unique approach to rehabilitation in China and one that reimagines the healthcare experience from the perspective of both children and their parents. 

The design was Inspired by FlySolo’s mission to empower children of all abilities to take an active role in society, and as part of UNStudio’s diverse efforts to give back to the community. The 550 sq m facility is home to physical, occupational and speech therapy rooms, as well as shared doctors’ and consultation offices. Flexible functionality is a central feature of the design, as the Centre needs to accommodate groups and individuals, and varying services. To achieve this, UNStudio, alongside FlySolo’s doctors, therapists, and family advisory committee, considered numerous possible layouts, with the aim of striking a balance between the physical, the psychological and the social.

Curved walls with corridors wide enough to double as therapy spaces enable intuitive frictionless movement to ease navigation, especially for those with functional impairments or using wheelchairs. At times, visiting medical facilities may cause a degree of anxiety in children, which may be exacerbated if waiting is not aided by positive distraction. For this reason, mini slides and interactive seating are located in the waiting areas, with small nooks provided for children to play in and to provide privacy for waiting families.

In order to promote positive mental health, the interior incorporates a soothing palette of colours and sweeping gestures, inspired by nature and children’s book illustrations. Whilst visiting the Centre, children can use their imaginations to enter vast landscapes and skylines. Wave-like wall graphics shift between three colour palettes that correlate to the functions within the therapy rooms. 

A further possible cause of discomfort for the child patient and their parents can be the separation experienced whilst therapy sessions are taking place. For this reason, wave-shaped windows that mimic the undulating wall graphics are inserted at a certain height in the walls of the therapy rooms to ensure that while the parents can see in, the child does not feel overly observed.

Lucy Nordberg
Tenderstream Head of Research

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