Nickolas Gurtler’s design for a Melbourne-based menopause clinic places the concept of the powerful woman at its core.

In arriving at the glamorous interior of Dr Fatima Khan’s The Menopause Specialist Clinic in Melbourne’s Cremorne, interior designer Nickolas Gurtler was given a simple brief: a medical clinic that didn’t feel clinical. 

Luxurious Italian design accents, such as Murano sculpted glass and Gurtler’s own furniture designs influenced by Italian architect Tobia Scarpa, infuse the plush interior space with a vivacious spritz of Mediterranean elegance. A vintage Carlo Scarpa chandelier ignites the space with added high-watt lustre. 

Vintage Carlo Scarpa glass chandelier occupies central focus in the waiting room

The desired outcome was to provide women navigating the emotionally turbulent experience of menopause with a space that radiated a sense of strength and solidity. It stands as an environment tailored specifically for women, with a depth of respect for their unique experiences and identities often absent in conventional healthcare facilities. 

The concept of the ‘powerful woman’ 

The project began with an in-depth conversation with the client. In this, Gurtler was aided by the clear, strong vision held by Dr Khan and what she wanted the space to embody. A sense of empowerment and control was the vital component, offering guidance posts in navigating the uncertainty and discomfort of menopause. 

“Dr Khan explained that a lot of women feel powerless, out of control over their own bodies, their lives, their work,” Gurtler outlines. “It can be incredibly disruptive. Women can also feel invisible during this time, that they have to continue their lives while juggling disruptive symptoms.”

Deep, rich hues present a bold and sultry design aesthetic

In relaying the experience of menopause to Gurtler, a central concept soon emerged: the interior design would revolve around the idea of the powerful woman. The resulting space needed to be an environment in which women could be emboldened to reclaim control of their own lives, with their treatment at Dr Khan’s clinic representative of a reframing of their personal narrative.

These initial conversations were vital influences for Gurtler’s own understanding of the space and what purpose it would serve as a medical clinic. Menopause is not an experience which Gurtler or his team have directly faced themselves, so this conceptual image of the powerful women adopted a heightened degree of importance.

In fact, it became the anchor of the entire project, guiding every design decision. 

Purposeful aesthetic choices were woven throughout the eventual design, such as the red-painted doors, which Gurtler describes as “a symbolic gesture [of] passing through the threshold”, as women take the step to reclaim ownership of their bodies. 

As Gurtler elaborates, “Again, we were drawn to that idea of red being a powerful colour. By painting the door like this, we wanted it to be like passing through a portal with this sense of reclaiming one’s power. It’s designed to be a symbolic experience.”

Film star influences and la dolce vita

A designer with a rich appreciation for all areas of design and iconography, Gurtler’s interest in cinema found an unlikely – and surprisingly specific – place at the centre of the menopause clinic’s design. 

Sheer curtains create soft light blooms against the plush red carpeting

Gurtler’s design process begins with brainstorming that draws from a diverse mix of inspirations, often from unexpected sources. On this occasion, it was the legendary Italian model and film star Monica Bellucci. 

“I kept coming back to Monica,” he admits. “I’d been watching a series of her films and was repeatedly struck by her grace and her poise.” 

Initial design possibilities arose from her memorable role in The Matrix Reloaded, but it was her history-making role in 2015 James Bond film Spectre that served as Gurtler’s key inspiration. 

At 50, Bellucci had become the oldest so-called ‘Bond Girl’ in the franchise’s history.

Neutral shading on the walls and flooring present gentle contrast to the lipstick colouring of the interior design concept

“I was very positively affected by that, drawing parallels with the project I’d been working on,” Gurtler recalls. “Her Italian sophistication became an influence throughout the design process, infusing the space with the effortless confidence she exudes on screen and in life. She was also a much more unique type of ‘Bond Girl’, being so graceful and sophisticated where a lot of her predecessors had been more obviously presented as just sex symbols. I felt it was about time that this kind of change happened when Bellucci was cast.”

From that point on, the concept of la dolce vita – the sweet life – became the lightning rod for every choice that followed. 

It’s an approach to design that is uniquely a part of Gurtler’s creative process. “I don’t seek inspiration from Pinterest,” he admits. “The ideas behind our projects always come from somewhere abstract, an idea that my mind somehow connects to the project.”

The ritual of lipstick

Reflecting on how material and aesthetic choices can enhance a sense of empowerment within the space, Gurtler reflected on his own upbringing. Raised in a strong matriarchal family, he was always struck by the role lipstick played among the women around him. 

Bright red accents enliven the usually characterless interior of medical facilities

His mother, in particular, was a significant source of inspiration. “The way women stand up a little straighter,” he remembers of the power of lipstick, “the way they were more self-assured with just this simple ritual. It’s like a quiet version of the ‘Superwoman pose’, something that makes you stand taller and feel more confident.”

When presenting his first design outlines, Gurtler recalls developing two unique colour concepts. The first was a range of green hues, a soft and calming vision he was certain that Dr Khan would select. 

“I was pleasantly surprised that she immediately was drawn to my other choice,” he says, “a palette of rich reds, and it became the space you see today.”

Designing a frame of mind

Dynamic marble surfaces balance the deep, warm hues of the wooden furniture

Gurtler’s concept for The Menopause Specialist Clinic represents a unique and captivating demonstration of how to reassess healthcare environments. Throughout the history of medical interior architecture, the spatial experience has often been overlooked, with focus primarily on practical requirements.

Especially, Gurtler asserts, when it comes to women’s health. “It’s not been an area that has had any design spotlight on it before,” he says. “With creativity and the understanding of the way humans interact with their environment, a lot can be improved.”

The shifting mindset toward medical facilities, and how design can be as important a factor here as in any private residence, is beginning to be adopted at the level of importance it deserves. 

“Design has the power to influence how patients feel in a space,” Gurtler says. “Aesthetics are not just surface level. They can provide comfort, dignity and reassurance at a time when people often feel vulnerable.”

Photography by Timothy Kaye.

Related: Denis Villeneuve’s Dune inspires cosmetic clinic design by Nickolas Gurtler Office.