Architectuur
Nook 4/25: FURNITECTURE
23 januari 2026
By integrating furniture with architecture, Mexico City-based studio Sala Hars has transformed the medical clinic – often a place of anxiety – into a haven of tranquillity. NOOK spoke with the architects about crafting a space where calm is the first prescription.
AiNB members receive this magazine free of charge.
Not a member or subscriber? Order a subscription here.
NOOK
Most medical facilities feature a sterile white design, lit by fluorescent lights that prioritise efficiency over warmth, creating spaces that feel procedural and impersonal. Zoī Vendome, near Place Vendôme in Paris, turns this inside out. Here, the experience is one of discovery – a place that invites mystery and wonder. Was that inversion your idea, or did it come from the client’s brief?
Juan Sala
It was part of the client’s brief. From the start, they understood – refreshingly so – that the only way people would truly embrace preventive care after their visit was through an experience of serenity, one that felt personal and deeply crafted around them. Every element was designed to soften the typical medical encounter, making the process feel calm and human.
The goal was to create an experience so pleasant it would linger long after members had left. Then, when their test results arrived weeks later, that positive memory – how good they had felt in the space – would subconsciously encourage them to follow the doctor’s recommendations and weave those well-being rituals into their daily lives.
Douglas Harsevoort
There’s a psychological idea called the peak–end rule: we remember experiences mostly for their most intense moment and how they end. At Zoī, the ‘peak’ varies for each visitor: it might be the examination suite, the music in the hallway, or the refreshments they serve you, made by Alain Ducasse. The ending, however, is carefully designed. Every visit concludes with 90 minutes in the onsen, after which guests leave directly, without returning to the clinic. The final memory isn’t of the blood tests, the ecography, or the eye scan, but of the mineral bath, the steam bath – a moment of pure relaxation. Zoī’s founders were deeply interested in how psy- chology complements physiology, and our task as architects was to figure out how to tailor that to all the needs of the medical centre with architecture.
[above] A hallway shaped like an hourglass; a tunnel of light with a glowing ceiling reflected on polished concrete.
NOOK
The interior of Zoī doesn’t resemble a typical medical clinic; it feels more like a futuristic film set. Do members ever find the space disorienting?
DH
Probably not, because you’re always guided by someone; the architectural experience is carefully curated. Light acts as a guiding force, drawing you from one space to the next. You begin in a serene, completely black vestibule, illuminated only by a single spotlight on the visitor.
Then two doors open, revealing a hallway shaped like an hourglass, a tunnel of light with a glowing ceiling reflected on polished concrete. As you move forward, the light gradually dims at a left turn, creating curiosity about what lies beyond. Each sequence of spaces is framed by an aperture of light – highlighting a curve, a staircase, or a material detail – so you’re always subtly directed by light and shadow.
In the rooms, the lighting becomes more dramatic: an elliptical space with a conical ceiling where soft, gradient light gives the illusion of a dome. The atmosphere feels powerful and immersive. Finally, you reach the onsens – the ‘Earth’ and ‘Sky’ baths – one below ground, one above. Both are intentionally dark and cavernous, designed to feel meditative and deeply personal, as though you’re the only person there, even when others are nearby.
NOOK
Members often make patients feel nervous or anxious. Was the design intended as a way to distract them – to ease their worries?
DH
The intention wasn’t to take their minds off the medical aspect, but rather to help them engage with it in a calm, positive way. The founders wanted visitors to remain aware of the procedure and carry that awareness into their daily lives, since the treatment only works if they continue practising certain habits and self-care routines afterwards.
The interior is meant to create a sense of ease rather than intimidation – to make the medical experience something people want to remember, not forget. In a typical clinical setting, you might leave wanting to erase the memory altogether; our goal is the opposite: to leave inspired to integrate what you’ve learned into everyday life.
NOOK
When you enter a dentist’s office, you’re immediately confronted by intimidating machines and sharp-looking tools. In your design of the examination suites, however, all the equipment is hidden within the walls. Was that decision made not only for aesthetic reasons but also to help members feel more at ease by concealing function behind form?
JS
Absolutely. We essentially inverted the idea of a traditional medical facility. Our goal was to suggest a medical environment without making it feel clinical, and we found inspiration in Baroque architecture. When you look at Baroque forms, you often wonder, How was this even built? There’s a sense of mystery and precision in how everything comes together – a kind of perfect assembly.
At Zoī, we applied the same principle. Every thickness is concealed, every joint meets at an exact point – an impression of precision similar to medical equipment. Yet, unlike a sterile space, the materials are natural and sensory: plasters with a distinctive patina, woods with visible grain, and Basaltina stone from Italy that adds warmth and texture.
[above left] Spatial sequences are framed by an aperture of light, highlighting a curve or material detail, so clients
are subtly directed by light and shadow. [above right] Thicknesses are concealed, while joints meet at an exact point, giving the impression of medical precision. All Photos: Florent Michel
NOOK
Was it difficult to figure out how the furniture could be integrated into the architecture?
JS
It requires a different approach. A traditionally designed piece of furniture that looks good in terms of proportions and height will conflict with what works functionally in a medical setting. For instance, a bed. For a doctor to perform an ecography comfortably – without twisting their back or standing in an awkward position – it needs to be quite high. Yet when a member sees a high bed, they subconsciously associate it with a medical environment or procedure. So we had to design furniture with proportions that would serve both worlds. We worked closely with the medical team to find a solution that met their practical needs. The company’s founders were deeply aware of the medical procedures involved, yet they remained equally committed to preserving a sense of beauty – knowing from the outset that the space could not look or feel like a medical facility.
NOOK
Even LCD screens emerge discreetly from cabinets, lending the space a quietly high-tech atmosphere.
JS
Part of the reason is that technology ages quickly – today’s cutting-edge screens look outdated within a few years. To create something timeless, we hid everything: no visible machines, no exposed tech. Screens rise from carts and scanners hide in cabinets, allowing every element to blend into the architecture like a second skin.
NOOK
The finishing of the cabinets and walls is truly exceptional. The curves, soft edges, and the way the edges of materials meet are exquisite. How did you achieve this level of craftsmanship?
JS
Yes, most of the woodwork was crafted in cherrywood by an extraordinary French cabinetmaker, L’Atelier des Essences. We worked very closely with Gilles Leray, a true artisan with immense pride in his work. It’s hard to imagine anywhere else in the world where such precision could be achieved; perhaps only in Japan.
DH
You rarely meet people like Gilles. Rather than problems, he sees challenges to be solved. The complexity excites him – it’s what makes him tick.
NOOK
What feedback has Zoī Vendome received from members?
JS
There’s a standard measure used worldwide to gauge how likely consumers are to recommend a company, the Net Promoter Score (NPS). Apple typically scores between 60 and 70, among the highest in the world. Zoī Vendome ranks even higher. Clients are genuinely moved by the experience. Doctors often discover things about them that others have missed or make recommendations that significantly improve their quality of life – sometimes through simple changes to their daily routines – and can be truly life-changing. [TS]
The final memory of a visit to Zoī Vendome isn’t of the blood tests, the colonography, or the eye scan, but of the baths – a
moment of pure calm and restoration. Photo: Florent Michel