Environments for Aging - Spring 2015 - 75

EFA DESIGN SHOWCASE
CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill LAFAYETTE HILL, PA.
Submitted by: RLPS Architects LANCASTER, PA.
Project category: New construction & remodel/renovation
Chief administrator: Joseph E. Murphy, CEO, Masonic Villages
Firm: RLPS Architects, www.rlps.com
Design team: RLPS Architects (architect and interior designer); Warfel
Construction Co. (construction manager); Alderson Engineering (MEP
engineer); Rummler Associates (landscape architect); McCloskey &
Faber (landscape architect); Chambers Associates (civil engineer)
Photography: 2015 Gregory Benson Photography; RLPS Architects
Number/type of housing units: 61 independent living apartments
Total building area (sq. ft.): 97,000 (new), 4,120 (renovation)
Construction cost/sq. ft.: $297 (new), $265 (renovation)
Total construction cost (excluding land): $20.1 million (new),
$1.1 million (renovation)
Completed: September 2015
2015 GREGORY BENSON PHOTOGRAPHY

BEFORE
RLPS ARCHITECTS

Many providers have aging buildings that are functionally adequate
but aesthetically challenging to
remain competitive in the marketplace. While the easiest solution
is building new, financial realities
and stewardship responsibilities
often suggest a different approach.
In conjunction with an apartment
addition, the design team was able
to cost-effectively transform the
main building façade and entry
experience by reinterpreting the
traditional elements in a modern,
practical manner.
The 1973 building featured a

BEFORE

classic brick façade with a high level
of detailing and a striking presence reinforced by strong entrance
columns. However, it looked like an
aging civic building rather than an
appealing residence. The Mt. Vernon home of George Washington,
arguably one of the most famous
freemasons, served as the inspiration for a design that maintains the
classic proportions and detailing,
but replaces ornamental elements
with residential features such as
dormers and shutters. The addition
of a pitched metal roof adds dimension while making the building
feel less institutional. New covered
porches and balconies at each end
of the building reinforce the desired
aesthetic and provide protected outdoor spaces for healthcare residents.
A pergola provides a consistent
vernacular and, along with a new
porte cochère and landscape strategies, reinforces an inviting entry
experience.
The addition, which paved the
way for the façade updates, was
carefully feathered in to seamlessly
connect with the existing building and blend with the updated
vernacular. The new apartments,
ranging from 800 square feet to
1,120 square feet, incorporate open
floor plans, outdoor living spaces,
and other amenities to meet current
market expectations.

2015 GREGORY BENSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Environments for Aging * special supplement

75
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Environments for Aging - Spring 2015

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