After outgrowing their dated facility, a group of 6 doctors, each with individual practices, developed their own medical office building in Lenoir City’s rapidly-growing business corridor to serve their needs in addition to providing leasable space for other medical tenants. Adjacent to Fort Loudon Medical Center in Lenoir City, Phase I of Mediplex provides over 25,000 sf of tenant space for multiple outpatient practices. Organized by a 3-story atrium on the west end of the building, the site is designed to accommodate 12,000 sf of expansion area and parking to the west. Circulation and support spaces were arranged and sized in Phase I to accommodate future needs, allowing Phase II to be built with minimal infrastructure cost and little impact on the daily operation of the existing practices.
A tight budget for the shell building required thoughtful design considerations coupled with an economic use of materials. The initial design concept was to create a modern building that would be recognizable from the main highway nearby. A glazed brick façade and large expanses of glass create layers of depth, texture and orientation at both vehicular and pedestrian scales as the angled walls visually funnel patrons towards the entry drop-off. Beyond the brick façade, the primary mass of the building is an open-plan box skinned in stucco and curtain wall for flexible tenant layout. The use of floor-to-ceiling glass (low-e, tinted) throughout the building provides views to the surrounding community, creating circulation areas, offices and exam rooms that capture views of the countryside and welcome daylight with enthusiasm.
