Westlake Dermatology Marble Falls
Studio: Matt Fajkus Architecture
Project: Westlake Dermatology Marble Falls
Location: Marble Falls / Texas
Year: 2017
Category: Institutional buildings
Credit: Charles Davis Smith
Westlake Dermatology stands out as a timeless frame in the rolling landscape, rather than appearing too clinical or sterile as a medical building.The medicaland cosmetic dermatology practice was founded by Dr. Gregory Nikolaidis who believes great design serves as an inspiration for aesthetics. The Marble Falls facility was a ground-up design project strengthened by a collaborative process directly with the clients and consultants. From a distance, the structure is a pavilion in the landscape, standing as a structure to behold in and of itself, but from in and round the building, it acts as deferential backdrop to function and as a frame for views beyond. The nuanced concrete and glass shell merges with the designed landscape architecture, enveloping the bright and open interior in calm and quiet as one transitions from the road, through a garden zone, and into the space overlooking the rolling hills. Patient care and comfort are priorities –both influencing the design to embody feeling of security, ease, and solidity. Calibrated detail along with careful material selection result in a soothing and refreshing medical environment that is considerate of spatial and sensory experiences. Natural daylight is filtered through the perforations of a parametrically designed custom skylight of routed walnut, as an inset soft lining to offset the robust exterior concrete shell.