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Florida’s Center for Health & Wellbeing promotes all-around care through holistic design

All-In-One

Florida’s Center for Health & Wellbeing promotes all-around care through holistic design

Gardens and natural materials support the center’s wellness and mental health missions. (Robert Benson Photography)

Set in the Orlando, Florida, suburb of Winter Park, the Center for Health & Wellbeing is the first facility in the region to focus on preventive care. The Winter Park Health Foundation partnered with Florida Hospital to open this integrative center for fitness, mental health, and wellness. To merge these three realms, the foundation and hospital commissioned Duda Paine Architects, which melded the former’s mission with a thoughtful and holistic design approach.

“[The center]’s for every age, young to old, and for people in the community to be part of the process to keep healthy and well,” said Turan Duda, cofounder of the Durham, North Carolina, architecture firm that bears his name. “It’s not just about nurses and doctors. It’s a knowledge base for things like nutrition training and dance lessons.”

Interior of a health center supported by massive timber columns running through an atrium
Glulam columns from Bell Structural Solutions hold up a soaring roof. (Robert Benson Photography)

The 80,000-square-foot space comprises two stories of interlocking rectangular volumes with tall ceilings and visual connections to the surrounding walkable gardens. Duda Paine used natural materials and custom terrazzo art throughout the space. The Commons, a grand multipurpose room composed of seven structural bays, sits at the heart of the center and exemplifies Duda Paine’s incorporation of natural elements. Guests entering the space are greeted by wood walls produced by TerraMai. They set the tone for the interior.

The Winter Park Health Foundation commissioned seven custom resin and terrazzo medallions by local artist Keri Caffrey. The highly detailed artworks are 6 feet in diameter and depict scenes inspired by local flora and fauna. Duda Paine placed the pieces throughout the center to promote wayfinding and social well-being—for example, a medallion alive with bees working together sits in front of the conference center. “The collection is integrated into the interior design to give visitors clues into the building’s programs and connect them directly to the center’s offerings and mission,” Duda said. The terrazzo art works in harmony with wood products to build a space for wellness for its community.

Architect: Duda Paine Architects
Location: Winter Park, Florida

Landscape architect: Foster Conant & Associates
Lighting designer: Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design
Structural engineer: Paul J. Ford & Company
Construction manager: Jack Jennings & Sons
 Vision spandrel glass with custom frit: Viracon
ACM entryway panels: Alpolic
EIFS system: Sto Gold Coat
Custom metal facade fins: ACME Glass
Wood walls: TerraMai
Accent tile: Stone Source
Floor tile: Daltile
Glulam columns: Bell Structural Solutions
Linear metalworks ceiling: Armstrong
Custom fritted glass handrail: Tecnoglass

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