August 14, 2019

Baremberg Bass Uses Origami to Brighten an Argentine Dental Office

Baseboard LEDs brighten the corridor’s decorative wood paneling. Photography by Arq. Gonzalo Viramonte.

One wouldn’t expect to find a monumental ode to origami in a facility devoted to straightening and cleaning teeth, but Marion Odontología in Córdoba, Argentina is no ordinary dentist office. A pair of brothers bought the 2,150-square-foot space and asked architects Cintia Bass and Hernan M. Baremberg of studio Baremberg Bass to create something both modern and functional.

The clean angles of the reception desk and rows of seating are echoed in the folded ceiling. Photography by Arq. Gonzalo Viramonte.

“We believe that the relevance of the ceiling as a design component is often underestimated,” Bass says, “so we assigned it a leading and crucial role. In origami we find vertexes, diagonals, geometry, and dynamism while keeping its simplicity. In this way the ceiling is presented as a large folded paper that embraces the entire space with lighting that enhances the geometric design.”

The origami-inspired ceiling is composed of Barrisol’s Lumiere PVC stretch fabric. Photography by Arq. Gonzalo Viramonte.

The team otherwise stuck to neutrals and warm oak, with baseboard LEDs and custom graphics creating both brand identity and privacy along the exam rooms. But the true star is the waiting room with its eye-catching ceiling—thanks to it, business and customers are both looking up.  

Custom graphics on 3M film were applied by the team to the glass walls of each dental room. Photography by Arq. Gonzalo Viramonte.
Floors throughout are microcement with an acrylic sealer. Photography by Arq. Gonzalo Viramonte.
A private area concealed behind oak walls warms up the otherwise neutral reception area. Photography by Arq. Gonzalo Viramonte.

Read more: Brandon Haw Architecture Paints a Picture of Health for New York Dermatology Group

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