Batek Architekten turns Berlin pharmacy into yellow orthodontic clinic

Berlin studio Batek Architekten has converted a 178-square-metre former pharmacy into Hey, an orthodontic clinic in the north of the city that reads more like a boutique or gallery than a medical practice.

The scheme pairs two tones — pastel yellow and matt silver — with bold geometric elements, described by the designers as "quietly playful". Key moves include a folded steel reception counter, a sculptural bench and a criss-cross coat rail at the entrance.

"We decided early on to work almost monochromatically," said studio founder Patrick Batek.

"A soft pastel yellow runs from the floor up across the walls, enveloping visitors and creating a warm, comforting atmosphere."

Treatment rooms feature translucent walls of glass-fibre-reinforced plastic, while lighting tubes trace graphic lines across the ceiling.

Why does the clinic look like a gallery?

The design evolved from a brief set by the client, doctor Julie Charlotte Angrick, who wanted a clinic where young patients would feel comfortable. The name Hey is intended as an informal welcome.

"Most visitors are children and teenagers, and many of them come regularly over several years," explained Batek.

"We wanted to create a place that takes away the fear of the clinical environment without being childish," he told Dezeen. "Instead of colourful decoration, we chose radical reduction."

The same thinking shaped the visual identity by graphic design studio Bailey und Bailey, which includes a logo with a smiley face emoticon.

How did aesthetics meet hygiene?

The architects, with the project overseen by Batek and architect Julia Jensen, completely cleared and reconfigured the pharmacy's floor plan, optimising the flow of patients through different spaces.

Textured tiles line wet rooms and other surfaces likely to be touched often. The yellow-toned floor was cast from a plant-based resin — and proved the biggest challenge of the project.

"A surface like this needs a perfect substrate, because every irregularity underneath would become visible," said Batek.

"Preparing the subfloor required great precision, but it was essential for the continuous yellow to work as one uninterrupted surface."

A few elements are picked out in red, matching the reception sign. These include:

• Room numbers
• Chairs
• Signs indicating toothbrushing areas

Cabinets are integrated into the walls, allowing tools and equipment to be hidden away.

"The space is reduced but never cold," added Batek. "Above all, it reflects the personality of the client and her way of working with young patients."

Batek Architekten has previously revamped the T7.2 dental clinic in Berlin, arranged around an acrylic glass cube, and renovated a historic cinema in the same city. Hey confirms the studio's position as a specialist in clinical interiors that borrow the visual language of retail and galleries — a model that could reshape how young patients experience years of orthodontic treatment.