Situated within a rapidly developing neighborhood in San Francisco’s financial district, Studio Dental’s first brick and mortar location is defined by a modern aesthetic, while honoring the historic elements of the base building.

The design, by Montalba Architects (Santa Monica, Calif.), centers on a conceptual “lantern” to communicate a sense of scale, luminescence, and transparency. The lantern envelopes the operatories within the center of the 1,400-square-foot office, which opened in June 2017, and provides patient privacy while engaging with the pedestrian street front in an effort to energize the surrounding community.

In place of a traditional waiting room, a park-like bench extends the length of the space. Wood trellises provide separation between the bench and patient care area without closing off the space. A central colonnade of maple monoliths serves as functional storage and defines the entry to each private patient room.

 

Project details:

Facility name: Studio Dental

Location: San Francisco

Completion date: June 2017

Owner: Studio Dental

Total building area: 1,400 square feet

Total construction cost: $2 million

Cost/sq. ft.: $1,428/square feet

Architecture firm: Montalba Architects

Interior design: N/A

Contracting: N/A

Engineering: Julia Y. Chen Design, Inc.

Construction: Build Group