rainbow recovery

Good Hands Physio had recently acquired a space inside what was the Browns Bay RSA Building, which was undergoing refurbishment to become a new medical centre. The task was to create a physiotherapy and Wellness Recovery Clinic, a space that needed to be much more than just some cubicles and a hallway.

The place needed to accommodate several medium-sized consultation rooms that could comfortably house various pieces of equipment along with a rehabilitation gym. Due to the nature of the business, accessibility was an important consideration. With this in mind the gym and rehabilitation area is located at the centre of the clinic, making it accessible and visible to both staff and clients.

Aesthetically, the aim was to differentiate the clinic from the dull white and beige so often featured in medical practices. By strategically using timber and a range of bright Resene colours, vibrancy has been injected into the space, making it feel warm and comforting.

Colour has a powerful impact on the clinic’s atmosphere and much thought went into how this could transpire to a patient’s attitude and encourage recovery, breaking the mould of a typical hospital or treatment centre. American Oak sarking and polished concrete floors provided a perfect natural backdrop to make these feature colours pop.

A carefully selected palette of Resene colours has helped to transform the area into a much more relaxed and warming environment. Each consultation room has the main body of the walls painted in Resene Black White (grey white). The feature colours are then introduced on the back wall and extend to the side walls and ceilings.

Each room has a different colour and therefore a different experience and feeling. The feature colours include Resene Boogie Wonderland (bright violet), Resene Wild Thing (bright yellow gold), Resene Limerick (Irish green) and Resene Red Hot (primary red) in the physio rooms, Resene Wot Eva (hip blue) in the x-ray room, Resene Drop Dead Gorgeous (bold pink) in the massage room, Resene Hyperactive (frenetic orange) in the gym, Resene Supernova (bold yellow) in the ultrasound room and Resene Transmission (grey neutral) in the staff room. The reception area is Resene Black White. All walls were painted in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen.

High-level glazing between consultation rooms allows colour and light to be borrowed by the adjoining rooms. The glass frosted doors offer a glimpse into the colourful rooms when walking down the hallway, this allows the rooms to not only be identified by number but also by colour.

The only windows were at the front of the building, therefore natural light was limited. A new large skylight over the hallway now allows sunlight to stream through the main corridor during the day, further identifying that natural light and sun are also important features in the recovery process.

Natural American Oak sarking was used to provide a warm and relaxed feeling in the clinic, protected with a clear finish from Resene.

This project won the Resene Total Colour Commercial Interior Public + Retail Colour Maestro Award. The judges said “active and energising, this colour palette makes you want to get up and get moving; it’s the perfect palette for a physio. Bursts of bold and energetic colour play off the neutral backdrop. Instead of every wall being painted in full, the colour meets the neutral part way, emphasising the boldness of the contrast as they meet without overwhelming each space. A clever use of colour energy.”

Architectural specifier: Michael Cooper Architects
Building and painting contractor: Colabb Building Ltd
Client: In Good Hands Physio
Painting contractor: Andy Holman Painting
Photographer: Mark Scowen
Winner: Resene Total Colour Commercial Interior Public + Retail Colour Maestro Award
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2019
From the Resene News – issue 2/20