In the vibrant heart of Coney Island, Brooklyn, a refreshing approach to healthcare design is taking shape through color, architecture, and a distinctly human sensibility. Designed by Brooklyn-based Sergio Mannino Studio, Health Choice Pharmacy introduces a new visual language to the neighborhood pharmacy, transforming an everyday destination into an inviting environment defined by thoughtful details, expressive materials, and effortless functionality.
Located at 1633 Surf Avenue, the 2,471-square-foot space reflects the creative vision of Italian architect and designer Sergio Mannino, whose multidisciplinary practice explores the emotional connection between people and the spaces they inhabit. Here, the familiar pharmacy experience is reconsidered through an architectural composition that feels open, contemporary, and reassuringly personal.
A Fresh Perspective on Healthcare Interiors
The atmosphere at Health Choice Pharmacy unfolds through a carefully orchestrated palette of blues and greens, creating a visual identity that feels simultaneously uplifting and serene. Soft blue surfaces establish a sense of tranquility, while vivid green accents introduce energy and freshness. Together, these colors shape an environment that encourages visitors to move comfortably through the space.
Central to the interior is a custom modular shelving system composed of slender, colorful metal frames. Extending toward the impressive 22-foot ceiling, the structures create a rhythmic architectural presence while preserving uninterrupted views across the pharmacy.
Inspired by the elegant simplicity of Franco Albini’s bookcase designs and the adaptable furniture systems of mid-century Sweden, the shelving combines visual lightness with practical flexibility. Its modular configuration allows displays to evolve alongside the pharmacy’s changing requirements, creating a considered balance between aesthetics and everyday efficiency.
The resulting layout feels intuitive and spacious, with clearly defined pathways and an architectural openness that encourages easy navigation.
A Material Palette With an Italian Soul
Throughout Health Choice Pharmacy, Sergio Mannino’s appreciation for Italian design culture emerges through a sophisticated dialogue between texture, color, and geometry.
Terrazzo-inspired flooring recalls the expressive material character of Italian interiors from the 1950s and 1960s, establishing a richly patterned foundation for the contemporary setting. Blue and chartreuse laminates introduce a graphic sensibility, while natural oak finishes lend warmth to counters and architectural details.
Fluted glass contributes another layer of refinement, gently diffusing light and introducing privacy where needed. Mosaic surfaces provide moments of visual interest, adding intricate texture to the interior’s clean architectural lines.
Every material has been selected to participate in a cohesive composition. Cool tones meet warm wood finishes, smooth surfaces interact with tactile details, and carefully considered lighting enhances the space’s sense of clarity.
The overall effect is polished yet approachable, expressing a contemporary aesthetic that remains deeply connected to the needs of its visitors.
Where Architecture Meets Emotion
For Mannino, the emotional experience of architecture is inseparable from its practical purpose. His studio’s guiding philosophy, Form Follows Emotions, places human perception at the center of the creative process, recognizing the influence of spatial design on how people feel, interact, and connect with their surroundings.
At Health Choice Pharmacy, this philosophy is particularly evident in the relationship between the open retail area and the more intimate consultation spaces.
The pharmacy’s layout creates visual connections between the entrance, display areas, and service counter, allowing customers to orient themselves naturally. For staff, the unobstructed sightlines offer greater visibility across the store, supporting a more efficient working environment.
Privacy receives equally thoughtful attention. Within the consultation room, ribbed glass partitions allow daylight to filter through while maintaining discretion. Oak finishes and blue accents carry the pharmacy’s established visual identity into this quieter setting, creating continuity between public and private spaces.
Lighting further shapes the experience. A combination of ambient and accent illumination highlights products, defines functional areas, and introduces warmth. A sculptural black Bobber pendant by Blu Dot adds a contemporary finishing touch to the waiting area, complementing the darker ceiling above.
These details reveal an approach to healthcare interiors that considers the emotional significance of ordinary interactions, from browsing shelves to discussing personal health concerns.
A Distinctive Identity for Coney Island
The pharmacy’s location gives the project an additional dimension. Situated near Coney Island’s celebrated boardwalk and Luna Park, Health Choice Pharmacy occupies a neighborhood recognized for its lively atmosphere, coastal character, and enduring place in New York’s cultural imagination.
Within this setting, the interior’s sky-blue and chartreuse palette feels especially expressive. Its fresh colors and confident geometry establish a distinctive identity while maintaining the welcoming character expected of a neighborhood healthcare destination.
The project also demonstrates Sergio Mannino Studio’s integrated approach to architecture and branding. Rather than treating visual identity as a separate decorative exercise, the studio develops color, materials, fixtures, and spatial organization as interconnected elements of the customer experience.
The pharmacy’s recognizable aesthetic emerges naturally from its architecture, with every display and surface contributing to a consistent visual narrative.
The Creative Vision of Sergio Mannino
Born from an Italian design education and shaped by a career spanning architecture, interiors, furniture, and branding, Sergio Mannino’s creative perspective is grounded in the relationship between visual expression and human experience.
Educated at the University of Florence, where he studied under Remo Buti and graduated with Ettore Sottsass as his thesis advisor, Mannino brings an appreciation for expressive forms, material experimentation, and emotional storytelling to his work.
He founded Sergio Mannino Studio in New York in 2008, developing a multidisciplinary practice with projects across retail, residential design, brand identity, and product design.
Health Choice Pharmacy embodies this creative outlook through a refined architectural language that embraces color without sacrificing clarity, celebrates materials without overwhelming the senses, and recognizes the importance of comfort in spaces dedicated to personal well-being.
The project was completed in June 2026, following an opening period identified as February 2026 in the original project materials. Its realization involved Ron Kopels Studio, with Jon Libasci serving as architect of record, and Italian company BBW&L contributing the custom millwork fixtures.
As healthcare environments continue to evolve, Health Choice Pharmacy offers a compelling perspective on the role of architecture in everyday wellness.
