National healthcare disruptor Parsley Health is the latest in a long line of start-ups to invite Alda Ly Architecture (ALA) to give form to its first-evercustom-designed location. Parsley Health is a high-tech modern medical practice that combines cutting-edge diagnostic testing with the latest in nutrition and lifestyle interventions. The company offers membership-based primary care in NY, SF and LA. Launched in 2016 by Dr. Robin Berzin, Parsley celebrated the opening of their new New York center in January 2019.

Parsley Health’s new center occupies the second floor of a Beaux Arts–style tower that anchors the southwest intersection of Fifth Avenue and
18th Street in Manhattan. ALA configured the 5,500-square-foot space to integrate technology alongside biophilic design elements that are known
to drop cortisol levels just from being in the space. In addition to coaching and exam rooms for Parsley Health members, the center features an
on-site cafe, a state of the art diagnostic testing lab, as well as a 630-square-foot back office with 32 administrative stations. The highly productive
interior feels open and airy, thanks to an innovative double-loaded corridor plan in which clusters of rooms on the building’s northern perimeter are
accessed from the corridor via branch hallways. The main corridor runs in an east-west axis from a member lounge that marks the northeast corner
of the 115-year-old high-rise. ALA implemented this plan between the structure’s grid of interior Doric columns and atop the original maple plank
flooring.

Parsley Health tapped ALA’s design champions to spearhead a physical concept to reflect Parsley’s unique approach to primary care. In response,
the project defies conventional medical office designs. By bridging the gap between medicine and wellness, the project prioritizes hygiene and
efficiency while also championing the principles of Biophilic Design to achieve a comforting, functional space that is engineered to be healing to the
body and mind.

Biophilia refers to humankind’s innate connection with nature, and incorporating its principles into the designed environment has been empirically
proven to enhance health outcomes. From the moment of arrival at Parsley Health, wALA’s design activates a member’s biophilic tendencies. An entry wall niche planted with magnolia leaves overlooks a reception desk fabricated from environmentally friendly Ceasarstone and white oak cabinetry. The desk’s organic shape guides users intuitively toward the member lounge dotted with air-purifying plants and a variety of furniture and millwork crafted with natural materials and finishes. The lounge includes a member-accessible pantry, and this waiting area will regularly transform into a venue for cooking classes and workshops via lightweight moveable furniture and a retractable projection screen.

Parsley Health’s biophilic character extends well beyond member touchpoints. The east-west main corridor, which connects the lounge to the
branching exam-room hallways, frames a small tree illuminated by circular stone focal point and considered lighting design so that members may
navigate the interior with comfort and safety—a biophilic concept known as Prospect. All lighting was carefully selected to positively impact circadian
rhythms. The exam rooms are enclosed largely in ribbed film-covered glass panes that both harvest daylight and engender feelings of spaciousness.
Additionally, ALA’s placement of the member lounge and accessible kitchen along north and east exposures maximizes indirect daylight as well as
natural ventilation. Altogether, this project meets all 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design, as defined in the well-known study by Terrapin Bright Green.

In just two years of operation, ALA has become the go-to for companies like The Wing and Bulletin, which have tapped the New York design firm
to create spaces that embody the most visionary qualities of their businesses. Since completing Parsley Health’s New York office, ALA has begun
developing preliminary schemes for a custom-designed Parsley location in Los Angeles, which will incorporate essential principles and features of
the launch project. Concurrently, Dr. Berzin is planning for a custom location in San Francisco as well.