Chelian Orthodontics by Merge Architects: 2020 Best of Year Winner for Health/Wellness

Think of an orthodontist’s office and you’ll probably picture something sterile and
impersonal. Not so with this clinic, part of a growing New England practice led by
Dr. Suren Chelian, who wanted an office where both patients and staff would feel welcome and comfortable. The Merge Architects team was challenged by not only the preconceptions surrounding this type of facility but also the space itself. Long and tunnelike, it is only 2,000 square feet in total—tight quarters for a six-chair practice. Fortunately, the existing double-height ceiling allowed the two principal zones—the reception/waiting area and an open four-station treatment bay—to expand vertically, creating a sense of airiness. The overhead voids are carved into a series of wide scalloped profiles that suggest rows of giant pearly white teeth. The scallop motif is explored at different scales throughout the project. Iskos-Berlin’s ridged pendant fixtures hang above the waiting and treatment areas, while natural-ash cove molding wraps reception’s walls, desk, and built-in banquettes, creating fluted surfaces. They make for a warm, textured, and inviting entry
sequence—just what the doctor ordered.

Project Team: Elizabeth Whittaker; Jamie Pelletier; Dustin Tisdale.

> See the full list of winners and honorees from Best of Year 2020