TSC Architects prioritizes garden views for alternative to “scary” dentists.

Natural materials and large windows overlooking a garden are used to create an atmosphere of warmth and comfort in this dental clinic in Japan, designed by local studio TSC Architects.

The project, which is called Dentistry that coexists with nature, occupies a sloping site in Toyohashi in Aichi Prefecture that was already home to several trees and a bamboo grove.

Instead of changing the site, TSC Architects designed a building that would “co-exist” with it, offering an alternative to what they describe as the “artificial” feel of many healthcare spaces.

“The client wanted a clinic where patients could relax and look forward to their visits,” the studio said.

“Traditionally, dental clinics have an image of being scary and painful, (but) we dispelled that image by designing the architecture of the clinic as a place where you can experience healing.”

The clinic’s examination rooms are located off a central corridor that zigzags across the site to make room for existing planting. To the west, it is raised from the ground to negotiate a three-meter difference in level.

Reception areas line this corridor, with views of the site through full-height glass. Control rooms are enclosed with walls that stop away from the ceiling to provide a sense of openness.

Access is provided via a ramp that runs along the northern side of the site, ensuring the same scenic arrival experience for all visitors.

“Walking along an open corridor that looks like a long road, the patient can feel the ground approaching,” said TSC Architects.

“You can experience nature as if you were walking along a green path,” he continued. “Leaving as much of the existing plantings as possible and making the most of nature, the different rooms are distributed leaving differences in height.”

The clinic is filled with pitched roofs that have large eaves to shade the outdoor paths and gardens. It is covered with tiles of different sizes, which complement the facades of the building.

In its interior, the casings of the wooden roof structure are exposed, forming a material palette of wood, concrete and plaster that brings a feeling of warmth to the interiors.

Dentistry that coexists with nature was recently longlisted in the Dezeen Awards 2023 health and wellness project category.

Previous dental clinics featured on Dezeen include an Antwerp operation by Norm Architects with an interior modeled after art galleries, and one in Amsterdam by i29 with khaki-green communal areas.

Photo courtesy of TSC Architects.