Environments for Aging - Spring 2020 - 44

EFA DESIGN SHOWCASE

Jill Schroeder: It was truly a mission-driven
decision to create a model that was financially
feasible for as many residents as possible,
even though it was a large financial risk. Right
now, there aren't very many communities
that offer both a lease and buy-in setup. We
decided that we wanted to create a living
space that felt beautiful and full of opportunity

for residents from all financial backgrounds.
To achieve this, we approached the project
from the perspective of affordability for the
resident (for both leasing and buy-in) and
for the provider, WesleyLife. Certain amenities like a large pool, a full-service bar, a
theater with sloped floor, and a full-service
spa were eliminated in exchange for
increasing flexibility through multipurpose
rooms. For example to offer a "bar" environment, an additional room was added to
the planning of the main dining room that is
outfitted with TVs, its own patio entry, and
adjacency to the kitchen to give residents
the ability to host events like a football

Above: The community room/chapel is an example of flexible space built into Brio. The 750-square-foot room
can host worship services, movie nights, and other gatherings. Top: The yoga and fitness studio is adjacent and
visible to the cardio studio, allowing a visual connection for resident engagement.
44

EFAmagazine.com * Spring 2020

party with beer and food, even without
the specialized back bar or liquor storage
within the space.
Tell us more about some of the ways
that cost was controlled via design.
All rooms throughout the community are
designed to be flexible so that any event or
meeting can take place there. The spaces
support the full range of activities-yoga,
small group worship, calligraphy classes,
happy hours, robotics club, etc.-creating
a community centered on friendship and
relationships, which is critical for senior living.
This allows for reduced operational costs,
as well, because there aren't entire rooms
programmed for one use that sit empty for
long periods of time ... [It also] eliminates
the need to have a full-time employee who's
programming activities for each space on
a continuous basis while also minimizes
building square footage that's left unused
for long periods of time. To be impactful,
flexibility was a goal from the project kickoff,
inspiring many decisions made at the outset
of the design process. Through a deep dive
with the provider, we discovered that a lot of
the rooms that are standard in the internal
program weren't absolutely necessary, or they
could be altered and broken up throughout
the community. This is probably the most
important thing the design team learned: that
we need to be more willing to part with our
preconceived program and adapt to a more
flexible design.

NATE JOHNSON STUDIO

Environments for Aging: The jury
celebrated this as a breakthrough
example of what can be accomplished
for the middle market (and at $146/sq.
ft.). What drove the decision to deliver
an affordable senior housing option?

http://www.EFAmagazine.com

Environments for Aging - Spring 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Environments for Aging - Spring 2020