Inova Health Center – Oakville is a 100,000 square-foot medical facility, part of a multi-campus initiative of Inova Health System, includes a comprehensive emergency room, imaging services, a primary care center with ambulatory surgery, and medical offices.
The lighting concept reinforces the architectural vision by enhancing wood elements and softening the building’s mass. The integration of wood elements, a key design feature, required the designers to perform studies to understand how these materials would interact with natural and electric light. The lower-level waiting and amenity areas have a hospitality-like feel, while upper levels prioritize privacy, with lighting tailored to the different functional spaces. The use of 3000K color-temperature, an atypical choice for healthcare settings, helps create a comfortable, less sterile atmosphere.
The exterior brow is highlighted by fixtures seamlessly integrated into the architecture, carving out a portion of the heavy mass to reveal the glazing of the interiors. The vertical surfaces of the monumental core are illuminated, providing a sense of weightlessness and balance against its otherwise heavy presence. It’s further emphasized by a double-height ceiling and grand architecture, allowing for its visibility from the exterior, serving as a visual and spatial focal point.
