Environments for Aging - Winter 2021 - 22

program those common spaces with the fitness and
dining components all building off of [it], " he says.
Local influences
To further connect the new senior living community
with the neighborhood, the overall aesthetic is
inspired by the Italian region of Sicily. " When you
look at the historic baroque architecture of Sicily,
you see strong horizontal lines reading through
that architecture, " Harrmann says. To translate that
to the exterior of St. Rita Square, the elevations are
accented with horizontal bands created by using
an accent stone in a slightly darker tone. Higher up
the building, dark bronze aluminum railings supporting
terraces further accentuate the approach.
" That's how we extrapolated that style to meet the
urban nature of the building, " he says.
The interior also ties into this theme through
the use of elevated ceilings and floor-to-ceiling
windows in common areas and resident units as
well as the overall color and materials palettes.
" We used sunbaked colors found in Mediterranean
seaside communities and combined that
with a base palette grounded in warm neutrals
and aged patinas, reflective of the industrial character
of Milwaukee, " says Rebecca Keller, senior
interior design at Direct Supply Aptura (Milwaukee),
the firm behind the project's interior design.
Restored artifacts from both the original St.
Rita Church and its predecessor, The Blessed
Lady of Pompeii, are incorporated inside and
out. For example, original cornerstones from the
old church's main entry are used on the piazza
and a backlit, stained-glass window serves as a
backsplash in the reception area. Near the common
area's multipurpose room, which is used for
wedding and funeral gatherings as well as luncheons
and dinners, an original St. Rita Church
name stone sits above an entrance connecting the
community to the church from within. At the new
church, the original bell is used in the bell tower,
and crowning the new church's top is a restored
statue of the archangel Gabriel, which was sculpted
in 1904 for The Blessed Lady of Pompeii.
Top: Positioned adjacent to
the piazza, the commons
area features ample glass to
create indoor and outdoor
connections while the décor
delivers an upscale setting
with the warmth of home.
Above: The piazza at St. Rita
Square, designed to tie into
the neighborhood's deep Italian
roots, is located between
the two residential towers
and connects to the fitness
and dining components of
the building.
Vital future
Overall, Tarantino says the project has been an
impactful development for the neighborhood. " I
think the [community] is very unique, how we
were able to provide for our residents and combine
that to also address extending the life of the
parish, " he says. " The church had fallen into disrepair
and wasn't contributing to the neighborhood.
Now, it's injected vitality. "
Joann Plockova is a freelance writer based between
Jupiter, Fla., and Prague, Czech Republic. She can be
reached at joann.plockova@gmail.com.
22 | winter 2021
efamagazine.com
project details
Project name: St. Rita Square
Project completion date:
August 2020
Owner: Capri Communities
Total building area: 182,048 sq. ft.
Total construction cost:
$28.9 million
Cost/sq. ft.: $159
Architecture: AG Architecture
Interior design: Direct Supply
Aptura (St. Rita Square)
Liturgical design: Groth Design
Group (St. Rita Church)
Landscape design: Heller &
Associates
General Contractor: Pepper
Construction
Engineering: Reyn Engineering
(structural), The Sigma Group
(civil)
Art/pictures: Artline Ltd.
Carpet/flooring: Tandus,
Centiva, Patcraft, Interface
Ceiling/wall systems: Rulon
Doors/locks/hardware: La
Force Inc.
Fabric/textiles: Romo Black
Edition, Fabricut, Carnegie,
Kravet, Architex
Furniture-seating/casegoods:
Rondel, Global Views
Chairs: Maxwell Thomas, Holsag,
Fairfield Chair
Lighting: Hubbardton Forge,
Hinkley Lighting, Currey &
Company
Signage/wayfinding: Poblocki
Sign Co.
Surfaces-solid/other: Granada
Tile, Crossville
Wallcoverings: Ellie Cashman
Design, DL Couch
For an expanded list, visit
EFAmagazine.com. Project details are
provided by the design team and not
vetted by Environments for Aging.
DIRECT SUPPLY APTURA (COMMONS DINING); TRICIA SHAY PHOTOGRAPHY (PIAZZA)
http://www.EFAmagazine.com http://www.efamagazine.com
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