The new Cedars-Sinai Los Feliz Urgent Care Clinic in Los Angeles plays against type, offering a stylized design to what are typically mundane, utilitarian buildings. Exterior features echo two Frank Lloyd Wright-designed iconic homes in the surrounding Los Feliz neighborhood. Textured stone tile on the ground level facade is reminiscent of the Ennis House, while green and white concrete brick—featuring custom incised geometric patterns including company initials—on the plinth level is inspired by the Samuel Novarro house.
The facility is located on busy Hillhurst Avenue, the main street of the Los Feliz neighborhood where local shops, bars, and restaurants are located. The clinic matches the scale, aesthetic, and character of the area that includes diverse architectural heritage spanning Spanish, Art Deco, Mayan Revival, Mid-Century, and contemporary eras. The nuanced four-box design features a textured façade that breaks down the scale of the boxes to evoke a patchwork form reminiscent of the rich pastiche of structures in Los Feliz.
The second-floor exterior is wrapped in matte black corrugated metal panels that create a rain screen system separating the stucco finish of the building and effectively keeping the building cooler. It also appears lower than it is to create a pedestrian-scale experience at the street level.
Natural light was a priority in the design. An airy two-story atrium draws in natural daylight and acts as a beacon in the neighborhood, especially at night when it appears to glow. Generous natural light also permeates exam rooms which can often be constrictive, dark, and claustrophobic in typical clinic designs. Cedars-Sinai opted to sacrifice 600 sf of profitable space to enhance the environment for patients and staff, allowing for more windows and outdoor space. A light at the end of each hallway provides illumination, enhancing the patient experience as they proceed deeper into the building and easing an experience that is often fraught with anxiety.
A series of murals by local artists including Nigel Sussman and Sarajo Friedman incorporate Neighborhood-specific imagery and bright colors. A staff patio located on the second story looks out onto the street to invite engagement with the neighborhood.
On the building team:
Owner and/or developer: Cedars-Sinai Health System
Design architect: Abramson Architects
Architect of record: Abramson Architects
MEP engineer: REX Engineering
Structural & Civil Engineer: LFA, Caitlin Bishop Project Engineer
General contractor/construction manager: Pankow, Jasen Greenberg, Project Manager
![Cedars Sinai int 1](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Cedars%20Sinai%20int%201.jpg)
![Cedars Sinai int 2](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Cedars%20Sinai%20int%202.jpg)
![Cedars Sinai int 3](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Cedars%20Sinai%20int%203.jpg)
Related Stories
| Jun 3, 2013
Construction spending inches upward in April
The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that construction spending during April 2013 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $860.8 billion, 0.4 percent above the revised March estimate of $857.7 billion.
| May 21, 2013
7 tile trends for 2013: Touch-sensitive glazes, metallic tones among top styles
Tile of Spain consultant and ceramic tile expert Ryan Fasan presented his "What's Trending in Tile" roundup at the Coverings 2013 show in Atlanta earlier this month. Here's an overview of Fasan's emerging tile trends for 2013.
| May 20, 2013
Jones Lang LaSalle: All U.S. real estate sectors to post gains in 2013—even retail
With healthier job growth numbers and construction volumes at near-historic lows, real estate experts at Jones Lang LaSalle see a rosy year for U.S. commercial construction.
| May 9, 2013
Post-tornado Greensburg, Kan., leads world in LEED-certified buildings per capita
Six years after a tornado virtually wiped out the town, Greensburg, Kan., is the world's leading community in LEED-certified buildings per capita.
| May 1, 2013
Groups urge Congress: Keep energy conservation requirements for government buildings
More than 350 companies urge rejection of special interest efforts to gut key parts of Energy Independence and Security Act
| May 1, 2013
World’s tallest children’s hospital pushes BIM to the extreme
The Building Team for the 23-story Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago implements an integrated BIM/VDC workflow to execute a complex vertical program.
| Apr 30, 2013
Tips for designing with fire rated glass - AIA/CES course
Kate Steel of Steel Consulting Services offers tips and advice for choosing the correct code-compliant glazing product for every fire-rated application. This BD+C University class is worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW.
| Apr 30, 2013
Healthcare lighting innovation: Overhead fixture uses UV to kill airborne pathogens
Designed specifically for hospitals, nursing homes, child care centers, and other healthcare facilities where infection control is a concern, the Arcalux Health Risk Management System (HRMS) is an energy-efficient lighting fixture that doubles as a germ-killing machine.
| Apr 24, 2013
North Carolina bill would ban green rating systems that put state lumber industry at disadvantage
North Carolina lawmakers have introduced state legislation that would restrict the use of national green building rating programs, including LEED, on public projects.