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Ottobock

Human, Reliable, Inventive

• PDR Service Design + Architecture, Brand
• Industry Sector Healthcare, Technology
• Office Austin
• Project Goal Wellbeing, Inclusion, Employee Experience, Advanced Technology
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An intentional approach to healthcare facility design is critical. In planning the organization and layout of clinical facilities and workspaces, it is essential to recognize the emotional impact of various design elements. Ideally, the design process must incorporate thoughtful attention to the patient, visitor, and healthcare providers while also maintaining a strong focus on assuring a pleasant, productive workday for employees. In addition to that, when a project combines healthcare with innovation and technology, an additional layer of focus and solutions is needed. Ideally, the two blend, keeping the need for a natural, easy flow between one purposeful space to another top-of-mind.

Our specialized expertise in the tech and healthcare sectors – and their intentional design approaches – are admirably demonstrated in the design of Ottobock’s North American Headquarters and North America’s Flagship Clinic. A global leader in prosthetics, Ottobock worked with our Austin team to conduct strategic programming and provide architectural design and interior styling that ultimately expressed Ottobock’s brand while empowering employees with immersion in the company’s mission and values, as a way to encourage impassioned productivity.

Beautifully futuristic with a minimalist vibe, the space highlights Ottobock’s 100-year history and a chronology of its advanced innovations. On the first floor, a timeline wall promenade wraps around the clinic space showcasing early prototypes and includes an interactive touchscreen and rotating video that tells the Ottobock story. The story continues on the 4th floor with a display of products and their positive impact on users.

The first floor also features a prosthetic fitting area, a gait room where patients can be observed, and a kitchen and laundry area where patients can practice performing day-to-day tasks.

Soft lines and curves, mimicking the products’ shapes, define the entire experience. There are no sharp edges or hard transition points, and all desks are sit-stands. Inclusivity and accommodation for all kinds of people are evident throughout. To define and differentiate distinct spaces, PDR used varied ceiling planes and lighting, thereby preserving a more fluid footprint along the flooring below. Furnishings are flexible to support future growth and adapt to evolving work functions.

In stark contrast to Ottobock’s former black-and white branding, PDR and the Ottobock marketing team collaborated to introduce bright, contrasting colors pierced with bold, sunlit graphic images and light-filled workstations, conference rooms, and specialty spaces.

Far from the typical sterile hospital environment, the overall design of Ottobock’s clinic conveys a sense of warmth – aided by layering of wood tones and neutral stones -- welcoming patients and their families into an environment where they feel comfortable and supported.