Contending with a 40-year-old infrastructure -battered and out of touch with the times- the Ehime Dental Association decided upon a complete overhaul of its headquarters, located in central Matsuyama.
In response to cramped, eclectic urban surroundings, we proposed a compact volume unfolding along a tilting longitudinal axis, optimizing site occupancy. The reception area was repositioned to establish a direct connection with the main road. From here, visitors (as well as vehicles) enter the grounds, compelled to wander towards the site’s rear end, where the main lobby – on the first floor- and the parking area -on the ground floor- are located.
Long discussions on activating this underutilized institution led to the repurposing of the first-floor assembly hall. Fragmenting a space formerly used only twice a year allowed a larger variety of uses, enticing local residents into the facility. High ceilings pierced by skylights combine with curtain or glass partitions, offering a myriad of possibilities for setting the space on the first floor. From the association’s annual convention to personal counseling or open community events, a wide range of uses is accommodated. This area turned into the public core of the new complex.
Conversely, an intimate space accessible from the parking area -and split from the predominant flow of visitors- occupies the rear end of the ground floor. Patients with special dental-care needs are treated here, managed directly by the association and designed to guarantee an adequate level of privacy.
An elongated prism, framed on a hybrid structure combining steel sections and CLT panels, occupies the entirety of the site. Locally-sourced timber provides soft touches in the public areas, leading to the multifaceted space on the first floor. CLT elements are also incorporated in furniture and stairs.
Cladding features large ceramic-tiles surfaces, interrupted by narrow, deep vertical openings. for sunlight control on the south façade. Only the slim east elevation and part of the ground floor incorporate vast glass expanses, opening up the building to the city.
The repurposed headquarters stands out as an architectural effort to connect with its surroundings. Tangibly, this is achieved by a spatial axis that connects the urban thoroughfare to the new first-floor core. Intangibly, new programmes or activities are designed to increase the scope of users -from special-needs clinics to educational programmes and school visits-, made possible by the display of adaptable spaces.
