Pepper Granite from Rhodes Architectural Stone was selected by the architects for an immense stone tower at a new medical clinic opened by the Providence Medical Group in West Olympia, Washington state, USA.

An integral part of the Olympia community, Providence St Peters Hospital has been providing not-for-profit healthcare for over 128 years. When Providence Medical Group decided to open a primary and immediate outpatient care clinic in West Olympia, a key objective was to create a local presence in the area and give the new clinic a sense of place.

Architectural studio tgbarchitects worked with Providence Medical Group to transform an existing Office Depot store into a building with which the West Olympia community could form a clear connection. That connection came in the form of an immense stone tower that residents could immediately associate with the West Olympia Immediate Care Clinic.

tgbarchitects principal Kent Gregory selected Rhodes Architectural Stone’s Pepper Granite in a 2-Point Stalk finish to give the tower a sense of permanence and stability.

“We saw a broad range of stones at the time, but the Pepper Granite certainly stood out, and I was immediately very happy with the choice. It was a great match for the colour palette and helped to give the tower that real sense of permanence.”

With this selection, Gregory was able to fulfil a life-long dream of using natural stone in a project. “Several years ago I had the chance to spend three weeks in Rome as an architectural graduate. And I thought, ‘before I die, I hope I have the chance to do a stone building’,” he explained.

The use of Pepper Granite also made the client, Providence Medical Group exceptionally happy with the building aesthetics.

Two years on, the West Olympia Immediate Care Clinic with its magnificent Pepper Granite tower continues to stand tall as a shining beacon within the community.

Photographer:  Barta Photography