Fun for Little Britches

When Richard Abrams selected JoeArchitect to design the new home for Little Britches Pediatric Dentistry it was quite clear that he expected it to be fun. Not only would the new office be a fun place for patients, their families, and the Little Britches staff, the process of designing and building the office would be fun too.

The building, a 5,000 square foot single story brick structure with a full basement, was most recently home to a podiatrist’s office. Aside from leaving the major structural elements and openings in place, we set out to create a lively, energetic environment complimenting the culture Dr. Abrams and his team have established and continue nurture through the years. Using the existing skylight locations as starting points, we developed a floor plan that allows for fluid patient and staff circulation throughout the office. With two paths to move between the east and west operatories, staff and patients are able to move around without congestion.

Designing the reception desk presented a very fun opportunity. Conceived and developed by Caroline Campbell, it combines wood and steel resulting in a visually engaging, durable, and practically functional hub of the office. One particularly fun feature is the floating pocket door that is used to allow ready staff access to the Waiting Room while maintaining a clear boundary for curious kids. You can click between the two images above to see the pocket door in both the open and closed position.

Of course the Little Britches and JoeArchitect team could only achieve so much without the involvement of the general contractor. In keeping with his commitment to a fun, collaborative process, Dr. Abrams selected BVB General Contractors early in the design process. This gave the team a chance to work through various configuration and system options in order to find a balance between feasibility, performance and price.

Once the ink dried and the dust settled, Little Britches Pediatric Dentistry moved into a building that had been transformed from a run-of-the mill podiatry office into a vibrant, energized professional home to one of the premier pediatric dental offices along the Front Range.