When orthopaedic surgeons Dr. Martin Jäger and Dr. Oliver Staneff were planning their new practice in Emmingen-Liptingen, they quickly decided that the interior design should be something special. “Our patients should feel comfortable in a pleasant atmosphere,” explains Martin Jäger, “after all, that also contributes to recovery.” Today, the orthopaedic practice at Witthoh, with its two doctors’ rooms and four treatment rooms, is a prime example of healing architecture.
As studies have already shown, good interior design contributes to relaxation and recovery. “We worked in hospitals for a long time and found that patients in well-designed private wards often got better more quickly and were happier,” reports Oliver. Both have seen many patient rooms and doctors’ surgeries in the course of their careers. “We therefore had a lot of ideas for the design of the walkways, but also for the materials,” says Martin.
Together with a physiotherapist and a consulting firm, the two orthopaedists formed a building owners’ association to create a new building in Emmingen-Liptingen (Tuttlingen district), at the foot of the Witthoh mountain range. They planned the layout of the practice themselves, but brought our experts on board for the interior design and fit-out. “A medical practice has high medical requirements in terms of hygiene, but the rooms also needed to reflect our love of nature,” explains Oliver. Clean – and yet natural: interior designer Elke Spazier and project manager Lucas Mayer took on this challenge.
Broken white tones reminiscent of the color of bones, rib-like structures, for example on the cladding of the reception desk – a design that is reminiscent of the human skeleton runs through the practice. This also applies to the eye-catching ceiling lighting above the reception area, where architectural Prolicht LED luminaires join together like the vertebrae of a spinal column.
Floating tables and chests of drawers, large built-in cupboards without handles – structure and order prevail in this practice. “We both work in a very structured way, which is why a tidy environment is important to us,” reports Oliver. This is evident in the infiltration room, for example. A special piece of furniture, made in the Markdorf factory, hides the syringe trays under the top. Functional, but invisible.
However, it’s not just the patients who should feel comfortable, but also the practice staff. “We work a lot here and want everyone to feel good,” says orthopaedic surgeon Oliver. That’s why there are two comfortable staff rooms with kitchens as break rooms for the two doctors and their five medical assistants. “We take a holistic view of our medical work on patients as well as our own well-being and that of our employees,” says Oliver. Here, too, the motto is: Mens sana in corpore sano. A healthy mind in a healthy body.
