A primary objective has been to maximise the penetration of natural light into the operatory and consulting areas. The main access corridor that flanks the operatory rooms has a set of openings that allow diffused natural light into the space and into the glass-fronted cabins that it serves. The glass faces of the cabins turn towards the entrance area, orienting approaching patients. The corridor responds to this jagged edge by a zig-zagging light overhead that starts off from the entrance of the clinic and runs all the way to its rear.

Super-graphics on the glass faces provide degrees of privacy to the interior while providing a lively and informative engagement with patients on the outside. A tree passing through the space - an oddity seen in several such rowhouses in the city - was retained, while separated from the interior, providing an unexpected encounter with nature within what is expected to be a sterile environment. By imbuing the space with a sense of approachability and informality, the clinic turns into a happy and inviting environment for both patients and the doctors that work there.

Architects: JDAP Design - Architecture - Planning [www.jdap.in] Location: Mumbai, India Project Team: Avishkar Bharati, Clarissa D'Souza, Enid Gomez, Jude DSouza [Principal] Photography: Studio Kunal Bhatia [www.KunalBhatia.net]