Wellness Clinic in Braga, Portugal by Martins Architecture Office.

When it comes to clean and pure architectural interiors, things simply don’t get much better than this Oriental therapy centre & wellness clinic in Braga, Portugal designed by Martins Architecture Office.

Firstly, this is a wellness clinic, which we all know ain’t the sexiest of spaces most of the time. Although I’m sure you’ve noticed a surge of good design being employed in therapy slash medical-type interiors in recent times – I mean, the doctors and other medical professionals have to spend all that cash somehow!

Secondly, the interior measures a tiny 49 square metres, which isn’t much to work with, but José Martins, Marta Machado and Marina Carbia from Martins Architecture Office have used every little bit of space available to deliver an incredibly interesting result.

Thirdly, the tenancy is located in a shopping mall that’s having to work super hard to resist abandonment, and we all know these spaces aren’t exactly the hotbed of testing the most cutting-edge design ideas, no?

Fourthly (I’ve seriously never said or written ‘fourthly’ – like, is this a legit word?), the project needed to be built on a limited budget, so it definitely didn’t help they had to make major adjustments to the floor layout by relocating the bathroom, for example. Bummer, dude.

So, are there any good news here?

Well, despite all the challenges, I reckon Martins Architecture Office kind of nailed it. The reception space, the most striking of them all, is conceived as a ‘box inside a box’, revealing the original perimeter of the store. The new interior is inserted as a secondary skin that’s visibly separated from the original. The subdivision of the space beyond delivers consultation rooms formed by floating planes edged in local marble combined with cost-effective curtains.

Ultimately, this project by Martins Architecture Office is an ambitious attempt of design on a budget that delivers an expressive and simplified space in contrasts with its suburban surroundings.

10 points from me.

Related: Medly Pharmacy in Brooklyn by Sergio Mannino Studio.

[Images courtesy of Martins Architecture Office. Photography © NUDO.]