River Dental Office

Dental office pays tribute to historic waterway location with distinctive lighting design

Ottawa’s River Dental location, adjacent to the Rideau River and Rideau Canal, inspired an office design concept like no other. Architects at Parallel 45 Design Group paid tribute to the historic waterways through a unique combination of bespoke lighting and wood.

Jessica Vagner, intern interior designer at Parallel 45, explained that Ottawa was founded on the lumber industry, and logs floated through the city within its river system. As an insightful nod to this history, the dental office is adorned with warm wooden walls and floors.

The design intent is also dramatically captured through lighting. In the clinic’s main corridor, and visible from the entrance, a “waterfall” of recessed linear luminaires starts across the ceiling and then "cascades" down the wall. Accolade D5 fixtures from A-Light were used to create this unique masterpiece.

Additional D5 luminaires are staggered down the corridor’s ceiling, leading away from the waterfall, emulating logs floating down the river.

Accolade D5 can deliver these refined lines and patterns of light with its patented HE Tech™ lens that combines optical diffusion and high-performance reflector design.

“The illumination of the waterfall is clean and crisp, and, most importantly, there are no seams at the ceiling/wall connection point,” said Vagner. “A-Light was the only manufacturer who could provide this solution, and the result is exactly as I had envisioned.”

The eco-dental facility, whose sustainability practices include bamboo toothbrushes and silk floss, also required eco-conscious lighting.  High-performance LEDs in the D5 luminaires are low energy consumption, contributing to the office’s energy efficiency, and with a life beyond 50,000 hours.

"Dentistry lighting is tricky," said Sarah Oakley, principal at Parallel 45. "Psychologically, a crisp white light feels sterile. But there are ways to convey sterility without the space looking clinical. The 3500K color of the white LEDs in the Accolade D5 helps to communicate that.”

“Our client is thrilled with the result,” Oakley said. “The feedback they are receiving from the space is phenomenal. It really is generating a lot of buzz.”

PROJECT NAME: River Dental

LOCATION: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

PROJECT COMPLETION: July 2019

ARCHITECT/INTERIOR DESIGNER: Parallel 45 Design Group Ltd.

PHOTOGRAPHY: JUSTIN VAN LEEUWEN