Vancouver clinic interior design is inspired by quarries
A new cosmetic dermatology clinic's architecture in Vancouver, designed by Leckie Studio, is inspired by geological formations
Vancouver-based Leckie Studio has created a striking architectural interior for a dermatology clinic – AER Skinlab. The space, conceived to serve as the cosmetic dermatology company’s main base in town, is set within Arthur Erickson’s Waterfall Building, in a modest, cloistered 880 sq ft retail space. Drawing from visuals of quarries, geological formations and the idea of minerals, nature and wellness, Leckie created a clinic interior design that feels ‘excavated from the stillness of rock’.
The internal programme was fairly straightforward – the project consists of three treatment rooms, a consultation space, and a reception area. Taking this brief and elevating it through clever, overall minimalist architecture punctuated by impactful individual design gestures, the team at Leckie Studio employed locally quarried marble from Vancouver Island, finished with a raked striation, and fluted glass to maximum effect. Apart from the considered material choice everywhere, a glowing bespoke ceiling installation out of densely packed Tyvek filaments becomes a real visual draw within the space.
Art played a key role in the architects’ idea development. ‘Leckie Studio was inspired by the Quarries work by [photographer] Edward Burtynsky, as well as [artist and film director] Matthew Barney’s The Order, from his Cremaster Cycle 3,’ the architects explain. The team cite a specific text by Burtynsky, who states: ‘The concept of the landscape as architecture has become, for me, an act of imagination… The surface of the rock face would simultaneously reveal the process of its own creation, as well as display the techniques of the quarrymen. I likened the tenacious trees and pools of water to nature's sentinels awaiting the eventual retreat of man and machine – to begin the slow process of reclamation.'
Leckie Studio was founded in 2015 by architect Michael Leckie, yet already has a few important commissions under its belt, as well as a growing portfolio. Examples include a Vancouver House penthouse, where the practice composed a warm, organic space filled with textured, natural materials inside BIG's Canadian West Coast high-rise.
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Molly Goddard on creating a community of contemporary brides
As new Molly Goddard bridal wear is released, the designer talks about creating romantic but real wedding dresses, while three recent brides tell the stories behind their own Goddard gowns
By Jack Moss Published
-
Palazzo Roma embodies the heritage of Roman noblesse
Palazzo Roma, part of the Shedir Collection, boasts eclectic and eccentric interiors by Giampiero Panepinto
By Luke Abrahams Published
-
Boise Passive House’s bold gestures support an environmentally friendly design
Boise Passive House by Haas Architecture combines sleek, contemporary design and environmental efficiency
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Christian de Portzamparc’s Dior Geneva flagship store dazzles and flows
Dior’s Geneva flagship by French architect Christian de Portzamparc has a brand new, wavy façade that references the fashion designer's original processes using curves, cuts and light
By Herbert Wright Published
-
Promenade Samuel-de Champlain is a riverside boulevard championing urban green
Promenade Samuel-de Champlain in Quebec gives the city’s river back to its community, transforming a previously neglected urban space
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Chez Léon is a contemporary Canadian retreat in the Quebec countryside
This Canadian retreat, an elegant update of the classic cabin in the woods, is part ski lodge, part tree house, combining traditional materials and stunning views with a light footprint
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
House in High Park is a Toronto home to be discovered slowly
House in High Park by Ian MacDonald Architect is a new-build home in Toronto that takes a problematic plot and transforms it into an exhilarating, contemporary residence
By Ellen Himelfarb Published
-
This Québec school evokes a calming atmosphere in tune with nature
This redesigned Québec school inspires a new paradigm in its architecture genre by creating a welcoming, home-like and nature-inspired environment
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Canvas House’s wavy brick façade stands out in its suburban Toronto context
Canvas House by Partisans brings a wavy brick façade to its sleepy Toronto suburban neighbourhood
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Discover Dyde House, a lesser known Arthur Erickson gem
Dyde House by modernist architect Arthur Erickson is celebrated in a new film, premiered in Canada
By Hadani Ditmars Published
-
A retreat in Canada's Cherry Valley celebrates its idyllic green setting
Cherry Valley by StudioAC offers nature-inspired minimalism to a rural Canadian setting
By Ellie Stathaki Published