A clean, minimal design by The UP Studio creates a unique identity for Mudgil Practices, a new joint dermatology and dentistry practice located in the diverse, upwardly mobile community of Hicksville, New York. Welcoming patients since Spring 2016, the office includes a dermatology zone, a dentistry zone, mini- and full-sized testing laboratories, shared and private offices for each practice, and an intimate shared waiting area for patients.
The design of Mudgil Practices balances evidence-based ideas about patient wayfinding, an accessible receptionist, a clear signage program, and exam room efficiency with the doctors’ request for a museum-like interior—“the MoMA of doctor’s offices”. UP worked with the doctors to evaluate potential sites for suitability for the unique needs of their practice. The team undertook feasibility studies, test fits, and rough construction costs for each site, eventually settling on a building that required a complete gut renovation to maximize efficiency of the plan.
The UP team was challenged to create a clear plan organization for the two disparate practices within 5,000 square feet of existing space. The resulting layout distributes required programmatic elements to the perimeter of the building to maximize natural light entering the spaces. It also allows the two co-located practices to significantly reduce expenses by sharing key medical equipment, office resources, and staff.
The office’s main design feature—an extruded, woven ceiling plane—maps patient, doctor, and staff circulation patterns. It also unifies the two practices within a shared space. The ceiling leads patients through the office; this wayfinding strategy, combined with the straightforward plan organization and clear, elegant signage, minimize any risk of a confusing circulation pattern.
UP designed the architecture, interior design, brand design, signage and wayfinding, custom typography, web design, and collateral coordination, creating a unified design that simplifies every aspect of a patient’s experience. The design’s visual language, rigorous and consistent throughout the project, distinguishes Mudgil Practices from competing offices.
“There are very few medical practices like this in the country,” says Dr. Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, dermatologist. “We integrated our functional needs into the design to help create clarity and reduce the clutter of a busy office. The reactions from our patients have been remarkable. No one has seen an office like this in the area.”
The new office also brings wellness to the doctors. “From a social perspective,” says Dr. Mudgil, “it has been really fun working together in the same space. It gives us some time together outside of daily stresses. In the end it is much more relaxing to practice at the new office.”
