M Aston
Design

Shingle Springs Ambulatory Clinic

Shingle Springs, CA

with ANOVA Architects

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Shingle Springs Ambulatory Clinic is a medical facility designed for the Miwok tribe and near their casino. The members of the tribe are much more comfortable outside and are uncomfortable visiting medical clinics.  So, the main thrust to the design was how to bring the outside in, and to create symbolic ties with their culture.  To bring in aspects from the outside, each floor became a season, with cedar at the check-in windows focusing attention as well as bringing the smell of the outdoors in. The casino had already incorporated the angled line reflected in traditional basketry, so ANOVA mirrored this in the clinics façade, and Marthe then took this element as a directional way-finding element creating movement and direction.