KAYENTA HEALTH CENTER
NAVAJO NATION


KAYENTA, ARIZONA


The health center design is a response to its site, function, and the unique Navajo concepts of place, health, wellness, and illness. With strong beliefs in the sacredness of place, the site and facility are zoned to respect the special character of each cardinal direction. For instance, the main entrance facing east is flanked by wings housing the community health and wellness programs and administrative functions. These wings metaphorically represent welcoming arms to patients and visitors. Other program components are arrayed westward from the entrance beginning with the clinic wing and inpatient wings and terminating at the far west with the service functions. A traditional healing or meditation space is aligned with the cardinal directions to provide a protected space for patients and families to incorporate traditional holistic medicine in their treatment and care.

Key design goals include flexibility for growth and change, spatial efficiency, appropriate functional separation or adjacency, and patient convenience. Evidenced based principles include a healthful, positive working environment with daylight and views, air quality, acoustical performance, patient privacy, safety, security, and ease of way finding. The image provides a strong sense of place, visually integrated with the powerful landscape that engenders a sense of well being.

2012 © Dekker/Perich/ Sabatini