Overview
"Miyamura Animal Hospital" is a popular veterinary in the region; clients and their animals are always queuing up to see the doctor. Doctor Miyamura decided to build a larger hospital, but the site was particularly narrow and facing to the south. He asked the designer, Atelier OPA, for comfortable architecture including four examination rooms and facilities for surgery, CT scans and hospitalisation.
Considering the procedure of medical examination, Atelier OPA set out a waiting room, four medical rooms, an inspection room and a treatment room along the corridor. The plans developed and eventually the corridor became the waiting room. Thick LVL walling was used at the main south facade, east façade and west façade, as well as an interior construction wall. These 150mm walls act not only as structural elements, but provide fire-resistance up to 1 hour even without laminates or protective coatings. These walls obtained ministerial approval for construction.
Structure
Miyamura Veterinary Clinic is Japan’s first multi-story building using 150mm thick LVL walling that has a one hour semi-fireproof resistance, consisting of LVL thick wall construction with a wooden framework. A complex assembly of LVL afforded the architect the opportunity of a flexible design compared to the usual wooden framework.
Exterior
The main south facade is made of layered LVL that supports both horizontal and vertical forces, but also can endure up to one hour of flame due to the semi-fireproof performance, requiring Japanese Ministry of Construction approval. Moisture permeable waterproof sheets and a breathable layer on the outside of the LVL pilasters were included for weather-resistance, which was then covered with LVL wood of 30mm thickness. The pilasters create a rich landscape for the city.
Interior
The waiting room includes a wellhole for light and has exposed layered surfaces for a comfortable atmosphere. The upper floors have more spaces, so a diagonal wall was included in the wellhole to draw the eye. Reinforced gypsum board was used as the base, covered with a 15mm thickness of LVL wall.
LVL louvers are visible at the top of the wellhole, especially from the exterior. The ceiling supports the lighting, air conditioning facilities and ventilation windows, which connect to the northern terrace.
On the third floor, in conjunction with the CT and dressing room, a medical office salon faces the terrace. A variety of block-shaped cushions are arranged here for a relaxation space, using wetsuit fabric was ease of cleaning due to the use by pets in conjunction with their owners. This interior space is also wrapped in LVL material.
