Contract Design | Megan Dwyer

February 18, 2020

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Designer Islyn Studio

Category Healthcare 

Client Kindbody, Gina Bartasi, Annbeth Eschbach

Location New York

Healthcare facilities are often thought of as sterile, unwelcoming spaces associated with poking and prodding, bad news, and sickness. But with the help of firms like women-run, -owned, and -operated Islyn Studio, healthcare design is evolving, incorporating wellness principles and hospitality ideals to create more inviting, friendly environments.

When Islyn Studio was approached by New York–based women’s health and fertility care company Kindbody to re-envision its IVF and egg-freezing facility in midtown’s Flatiron district, the studio chose a holistic approach to the design. Often, these procedures can be anxiety-inducing and uncomfortable for women, which is why avoiding the cold, sterile ambiance of a traditional doctor’s office and changing the way people perceive and experience a clinical environment was a critical desire of Kindbody’s. And as a studio that generally designs hotels and restaurants—this was Islyn’s first-ever project in the healthcare sphere—the design team had no problem looking at the project through a hospitality lens.

“I think that our experience working with high-volume restaurants like the ones you’d find at a Disney park was really helpful in giving us the understanding of durability and how you don’t have to sacrifice design for cleanability,” says Islyn Studio founder Ashley Wilkins.

Approaching the project just as the firm would a boutique lifestyle hotel, Islyn Studio revitalized the space through curved lines, warm lighting, abstract art, and organic shapes, mirroring the female form and creating a softer, warmer environment that functions as an extension of the demographic. Formerly cold, metallic touches were replaced with tender, intuitive materials such as soft woods and crinkly paper on tables. “We created spaces that foster conversation and socializing, so women don’t ever have to feel alone,” says Wilkins. “With our branding and identity, we introduced a sense of humor and a lightness, removing the stigma of the fertility experience, even going so far as to redesign the interpersonal interactions between staff and patients.”

Aside from being inspired by hospitality values, Kindbody drew upon concepts of some of the most successful coworking spaces, including The Wing, private clubs like Soho House, and lifestyle hotels such as Ace—specifically the range of programs that change from morning to evening in these spaces. Kindbody is a multifunctional space that serves more purposes to women than just the service they’re coming in for. Thanks to a mobile reception desk and flexible seating, the space can be broken down to host parties and meetups, as well as talks and seminars, like “Egg Freezing 101.” A retail component in the lobby sells products in partnership with like-minded brands, such as soothing fragrances, prenatal vitamins, body oils, and other items that complement the experience of going through the fertility process.   

“For us, we are first and foremost a hospitality firm, but when special healthcare clients like Kindbody come to us with a goal of changing up a dated industry, it is definitely exciting to be on the forefront of that movement and help drive the narrative for things that impact all of our daily lives,” Wilkins says. “Our goal is to be able to give people great design in the most unexpected places, whether that be a boutique hotel, a vet clinic, or where you go to freeze your eggs.”

 

Project Credits

Client Kindbody, Gina Bartasi, Annbeth Eschbach

Architect Zacs Intl.

Interior designer Islyn Studio

Islyn Studio project team Ashley Wilkins, Emily Febrizio

Contractor Michael Ghaida

Procurement Denzil Martin

 

Selected Sources

Wallcoverings Brick It

Paint Benjamin Moore

Hard flooring Lumber Liquidators

Floor/table lamps Victoria Morris

Pendants/chandeliers West Elm, Rich Brilliant Willing, Noguchi

Sconces Rich Brilliant Willing

Window treatments Maharam

Workstation/task seating Poppin

Lounge/reception seating France and Son, IKEA, Rove Concepts

Patient seating Hay

Architectural/custom woodworking Michael Ghaida

Planters/accessories West Elm, Oak and Fort, Stillhouse

Textile treatments/finishes Crypton