Waddell Urban Health Clinic for San Francisco Department of Public Health
The San Francisco Department of Public Health’s new clinic at 220 Golden Gate Avenue serves a chronically homeless population in the center of San Fransicco, adjacent to the Civic Center. Fitting to this civic context, the DPH’s clinic is housed on the ground floor of the restored 1909 YMCA, a grand building with a 174 units of restored permanently-affordable housing above.
The 13,000 square-foot clinic is a primary care facility focused on holistic care and wellness services. The space includes a brightly-furnished lobby, wood-slatted ceilings, and feature walls in rich yellow and orange hues to orient visitors to hallways. Specialty architectural casework was designed for the intake stations and exam rooms.
Design and detailing of the white-colored ceilings, light fixtures, and semi-translucent partition walls filters daylight into the exam rooms and corridors.
The Waddell Urban Health Clinic’s construction standards include numerous efficiency and health measures: efficient electrical, plumbing, and mechanical equipment and fixtures; a solar hot water pre-heat system; low-flow fixtures at sinks and dual-flush toilets; limited use of products with high embodied energy (such as vinyl); paints and sealants with low or zero Volatile Organic Compound content; formaldehyde-free insulation and no urea formaldehyde plywood; and an air conditioning system with 100% outside air.
Sorensen Partners Principal-in-Charge Marie S.A. Sorensen, AIA was a staff member on this project at Gelfand Partners Architects. All images courtesy of Gelfand Partners Architects.