HEALTHCARE
2021
The demand for healthcare is continually rising and access to hospitals is becoming increasingly limited. As a result of the cross-generational desire for convenience, patients and providers are seeking retail settings for medical services. Healthcare corporations have turned their attention to the prospect of medical malls for multiple reasons; including existing structures, convenient parking, access to non-medical retail services, and accessibility to the existing communities that developed around these once-thriving shopping centers. Drawing inspiration from both the economical influence, in relation to retailization, and the design era of the original 1929 Sears in Louisville, Kentucky, Norton’s medical mall facility will aim to bridge the gap between city and suburbs and foster community as patients embark on their journey of wellness. Located in the vacant Sears building of Jefferson Mall, this clinic environment will draw from its connection to Louisville’s original Art Deco Sears building, aiming to reimagine the artistic movement’s ideals and efforts. Just as Art Deco emerged from the desire to move into and embrace the technological advancements of the Industrial Revolution, so is the healthcare industry making its own strides into technological and functional evolution. In accordance with this ideology, this facility aims to capture the reimagination of Art Deco values as they exist within the [r]evolution of healthcare.