Women’s Health in a Feminine Environment
As Hema Prakash went through her own mid-life medical issues, she was disappointed about her own experience and damn it, she was going to do something about it. As it turned out, she was in the perfect position to make an industry-challenging move. Her background was in the tech world and Private Equity finance, and her husband and partner, Dr Gaurav Tandon, is a registered Psychiatrist.
Together, they would establish a practice specifically designed to meet women’s physical, medical, and emotional needs.
Ponti Health was born from this collaborative vision.
Through recommendations, they found Akord Projects. This company specialises in Medical Design and Fitout. The Director, Azhar Khan, has an impressive CV and 20 years of experience in Healthcare Fitout.
The site they settled on was in the garment district of Surry Hills. It was a warehouse where women had sweated over sewing machines doing piecework, a place infused with the history of womanhood and the character of Surry Hills. The internal space had to speak to women in their language to send a message of confidence, safety, and comfort.
Arkord Projects provided a curvilinear design that is soft, gentle and embracing. From the entrance, the semi-permeable 4m curtains allow for light without compromising privacy. The reception is at desk level rather than bench height. Each detail has been thought out to build up trust and credibility, reinforcing that this is a bespoke practice with patients treated as individuals.
Like the female form, this practice is at times tantalising, curvaceous, and a little mysterious. Its gentle form is both supportive and relaxing. It is built for women, sensing their needs and sensitivities and reflecting on their lived experiences.
Some legacy features, like the timber ceilings, have been preserved and add to the visual texture of three-dimensional space. In this purpose-designed medical practice, not only do the patients respond positively, but the practitioners and staff feel supported as well.
Female patients want a calm and confident practice. Practitioners want to work in an environment and culture that supports their medical careers and reduces burnout.
Ponti Health does both in ways that define the future of medical practice.
Project Details
Practice Name: Ponti Health
Practice Principals: Dr Gaurav Tandon and Hema Prakash
Location Surry Hills, NSW
Size 338 sm
Consult rooms 8 + treatment + path + physio
Design & Construction: Akord Projects
Graphics & Signage: Anne-Laure Cavigneaux – March Studio
Finance: Daniel Pike – Avant Finance
IT Consultant Quo Group Medical Equipment Jack Chegwidden – Team Medical
