In Nashik, Studio Akshay Singavi’s Gulmohar clinic transforms a 1,000 sq ft blank shell into a sanctuary where terracotta red ceilings, tiled surfaces, and natural light redefine patient experience.
Curated by: Rupali Sebastian
Photographs:Yash Katariya I WhatWeClick
The project
Gulmohar is a 1,000 sq ft dual-speciality clinic in Nashik designed for a dentist and pulmonologist duo. Conceived as a patient-first environment, the clinic rejects the sterile archetype of medical interiors and embraces warmth, light, and bold colour as tools for healing.
The site
The site was a raw commercial shell, offering a rare advantage: a longer façade oriented north, flooding the interiors with glare-free daylight. This blank canvas allowed the architects to position walls, cabins, and circulation to best serve the clinical program.
The brief
The clients required a highly functional layout with two doctor cabins, an assistant’s cabin, a casting room, a pharmacy, a reception, a waiting area, and a doctors’ toilet. Every inch of space had to be efficient, hygienic, and easy to maintain, while creating a calm and uplifting patient experience.
The design intent
Helmed by principal architect Akshay Singavi of Studio Akshay Singavi, the design intent was to align function with emotion: efficient planning paired with a soothing, characterful environment. “We wanted to break the stereotype of a clinical space and design an interior that reflects the owners’ straightforward, strong character while also soothing patients from the moment they enter,” says Singavi. The guiding idea was to embed the doctors’ personalities into the architecture, so that the space feels both professional and personal.
The civil intervention
With no structural constraints, spaces were arranged to maximise natural light penetration. The waiting and pharmacy areas occupy the entry, while cabins and support spaces are arranged behind frosted partitions that provide privacy without blocking daylight.
The spatial flow
Patients enter into a combined waiting and pharmacy zone that sets the tone with warmth and openness. Frosted glass partitions separate the internal doctor cabins, allowing privacy yet ensuring shared daylight. High-traffic areas are clad in tiles for durability, while generous passages, wide enough for seating alcoves, balance function with ease of movement.
The material palette
The defining gesture is colour: Nexion terraalino tiles in a deep terracotta red extend across ceilings, pharmacy walls, and inlays in flooring. This bold move grounds the space in warmth, directly referencing the Gulmohar tree’s fiery blossoms. In contrast, furniture and partitions are finished in pale, Japanese-inspired wood tones, allowing the terracotta to stand out while keeping the environment minimal and calm. Durable PGVT and full-body tiles ensure longevity and easy maintenance, while subtle floor inlays stitch the palette together.
The challenges
The greatest challenge lay in convincing the clients to embrace terracotta red—an unconventional choice for a clinic. Multiple samples and trials were explored, with the architect even assuring repainting at his own cost if the decision failed. The gamble paid off, transforming the space into a defining character of calm boldness.
The highlights
The terracotta red ceiling and pharmacy are the project’s most striking highlights, supported by serene wood finishes and abundant natural light. Together, these elements subvert the notion of a clinical interior, turning a routine visit into a more human and less intimidating experience.
The takeaway
For Studio Akshay Singavi, Gulmohar demonstrates that colour can heal. By pairing functional efficiency with bold yet soothing design choices, a clinic can shift from sterile necessity to sanctuary, where patient well-being is supported not just clinically but psychologically.
Fact file
Project: Gulmohar – Clinic
Location: Nashik
Area: 1,000 sq ft
Design firm: Studio Akshay Singavi (@studioakshaysingavi)
Principal architect: Ar. Akshay Singavi
Design team:Ar. Samruddhi Borade Singavi, Nikita Bhoj
Styling: Ar. Samruddhi Borade Singavi I MyThoughts Store
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