Scalpel
Psychology
In plastic surgeon Martin Huang's
office, the doctor's taste for the sleek and stylish bonds neatly with
a clinical designer look to create a conducive environment for his
precision work. GEOFFREY EU drops in
There are a couple
of extremely good reasons why plastic surgeon Martin Huang feels
very much at home in his slick, sleek new workplace on the 20th
floor of the Paragon. First, he spends up to 16 hours there each
day, and his clinic is essentially just as much of a personal
space as his own residence. Also, he worked closely with interior
designer Maria Warner Wong to ensure that the 1,800 square-foot
clinic is the perfect custom-made environment in which to 'perform'.
Yes, there is more
than a touch of theatre - of the high-tech variety - in The Cosmetic
Surgery Clinic, Dr Huang's ultra-hip, designer-style workplace
which looks as if it could have sprung directly from the pages
of Space Age Interiors (if such a publication existed). Not surprisingly,
he has established a reputation as one of the leading plastic
surgeons in Asia - a man who helps to make dreams come true and
for whom beauty is really only skin deep.
 From
the unique lettering of the clinic's name at the entrance (the
font is the same as that used by Pininfarina - the Italian company
famous for styling exotic cars, especially Ferraris) to the multiple
individual spaces the clinic has been carefully divided into,
and the art-gallery-like black and white shots of nude models
along one wall, this is a doctor's office with a definite difference.
'The whole intent
was for me to relocate into an upsized and upgraded facility
which was bespoke, customised to meet the specific requirements
of my practice,' says Dr Huang, 42. 'Because of the nature of
my work, the place was specially designed to provide a great
deal of privacy.' He adds: 'Cosmetic surgery is a trend that
has built momentum, particularly in the last five years, but
there is still a stigma attached to it. Although it is out of
the closet, people still prefer it if others don't see them -
we have created an environment that allows us to achieve this.'
The clinic comprises
several small waiting areas, private waiting rooms, treatment
rooms, a consultation room and staff areas - plus Dr Huang's
private office, which is equipped with a couch for power naps
to ensure that patients have the benefit of his A' game each
day. Operating facilities are located on a different floor. His
movements among the various rooms are choreographed by a clinic
manager who plans how to make the most efficient use of his time.
Many of the clinic's
design features bear the stamp of Dr Huang's personality. The
Pininfarina lettering, for example, was chosen to reflect both
the high-tech and creative nature of his work, as well as his
passion for beautiful cars. 'We wanted to create a theme that
reflected both the type of work I do and the type of person I
am,' he says. His work can basically be separated into surgical
(eyelids, liposuction, breast and chin implants, rhino-plasty)
and non-surgical procedures (Botox, skin rejuvenation and other
non-invasive treatments).
 'In
order to achieve the artistic vision, there needs to be a high
level of science and engineering,' says Dr Huang, who likes to
draw an analogy with Swiss-Ger man precision engineering. 'I'm
a perfectionist, and the margin for error is small, so I like
to emphasise the high-tech quality of my work.' This characteristic
is also reflected in many elements of the clinic's design, he
says. 'The walls, ceilings, corners are all cut precisely and
full of interesting detail.' The many mirrored surfaces throughout
are complemented by a clean and yes, clinical designer look,
and the dominant colour is a metallic silver-beige.
'This is a high-end
practice, we want to provide a luxurious, high-end environment,'
says Dr Huang. 'At the same time, the decor is not warm and relaxing,
because you don't come here to be pampered - we are dead serious
about what we do.' The lighting in the clinic is also configured
to deal with different situations - yellow light in the waiting
areas and diffused white light in the treatment rooms. 'We are
in the business of correcting flaws,' he says. 'We want you to
be conscious of them, so we deliberately have bright lighting.'
A small enclosed
glass-walled room occupies a prominent spot in the clinic. It
is used by nurses who sit down with patients to explain how to
apply various skin care products. Dr Huang says the two easy
chairs here (by Danish designer Fritz Hansen) are among his favourite
pieces of furniture. 'We needed a few designer pieces to complement
the quality of the service.'
 It
goes without saying that the clinic is fully connected to the
wired world as well - in addition to the Apple iMac G5 computers
scattered in various locations (the superior graphics are used
to illustrate how certain surgical procedures would look, for
example), there is also music playing in all the rooms (Dr Huang
has a preference for chill-out and jazz) and two of the private
waiting rooms are equipped with plasma TVs (Sex and the City
is on the regular play list, of course).
The positive impact
of this concerted assault on the senses helps to put both patient
and doctor in the right frame of mind. 'It's important for me
to feel at home and comfortable. There's nothing like that to
put you in the optimal mood - it's the same as if you wanted
a chef to be confident in his kitchen.'
Dr Huang says he
tried to take every aspect of a patient's experience into account.
'Our goal was to create a five-star environment, because high
quality is our first priority. After all, what we're doing is
consumer medicine and they are doing it because they want to
feel good.' He adds: 'It's psychology with a scalpel.'
Source:
Business Times, 5 February 2005 |
