Hills Cardiology

Every element was designed to optimise flow: how patients enter, how staff and clinicians move around them, how sound carries between areas, and where every feature leads the eye. 

Warm natural materials and soft muted tones evoke a sense of pristine comfort throughout. On entry, the first thing anyone sees is the logo, displayed on the timber screen separating the waiting area from reception.

“If I was a patient, I'd be happy to come here. I'd be confident about the services offered here. [...] The patients who walk in, they always comment: ‘Amazing practice. It's so warm, it's so nice. The whole atmosphere inside is so nice.’”

— Dr Devang Parikh, Hills Cardiology

From there, wood panelling and integrated joinery conceal central storage, giving staff easy access to everything they need without distracting patients. In the consulting rooms, a large, disruptive pillar posed a design challenge.

Rather than hide it, Akord embraced it, positioning the beds, desk and chairs around it to ground the care experience and direct patient flow instead of forcing a standard template. 

“That's the real skill in this kind of design: turning a fixed constraint into something that makes the room work better, not worse.”

— Azhar, Akord Projects

Privacy and access to care are at the heart of the clinic’s design as well, and were crucial when designing with DDA requirements in mind. 

Automatic doors and height-adjusted counters were just some of the accessibility features Akord included to ensure every patient can move and flow confidently through the refined space. 

Lowering one end of the main reception desk also provides a semi-private area for quieter conversations and offers patients in wheelchairs a more efficient way to exchange critical care documents with staff.