This isn’t your great-grandparents’ retirement community.
Architecture and interior design have been actively blending looks and styles in recent decades: commercial spaces are becoming increasingly residential, and residential developments are looking to the realm of hospitality for material inspirations or the next eye-catching amenity. Drawing on nearly every other sector in very unique ways is the modern senior living experience.
“The modern senior living development is a microcosm of an entire personal experience,” says Mark Kluemper AIA, a Managing Director at OKW Architects. “They are self-contained communities that need to have all the components of how we live.” These components include a residence, social gathering and activity spaces, dining options, work areas, staffed health support rooms, and a pleasant outdoor experience.
Creating a holistic development with so many layered pieces is not easy. “We have to think on such a massive scale,” Mark continues. “We wear our planning hats to ensure that these 150,000 to 200,000 square foot buildings fit into their surroundings, typically parcels anywhere from 3 to 20 acres, and then design it in such a way that they don’t appear like massive, institutional state hospitals.”
This shift away from hospital and towards hospitality is a key hallmark of newer developments. Big players in the industry are aiming to market their product as a brand, similar to staying at a global hotel, which comes with expectations of style and finish regardless of location.
“Senior living is starting to float into this world,” says Eileen Schoeb AIA, Partner and Technical Principal at OKW. “You’re marketing it towards people in their 70s who want to feel like they’re at a country club. Urban developers reached out to us for developments in Park Ridge and River Forest, and asked us to make the units look like condos that you and I would want to buy.”
The result is that these communities are meant to avoid the telltale looks of typical senior living developments. No one wants to be reminded they’re old, which can make that first move into these communities challenging. Creating an experience that feels like a hospitality-grade private club can ease the transition.
Cole Gagnon, a Partner and OKW’s Director of People, points out that, in order to do this, designers have to pay attention to more than just the level of finish and the type of amenities. “It’s about thoughtfully addressing the accessibility concerns expected in this sector. As an example, we take the stainless-steel grab bar and powder-coat it, blending it into the wall. There are many subtle alterations we can make so that the space feels warm and inviting.”
On top of that, Eileen adds, we have to be sensitive from a planning perspective. In addition to understanding how retail, hospitality, and workplace areas work together, senior living developments present unique challenges. When you blend assisted and independent living, architects have to be mindful of how those two communities interact. “They don’t always want to be reminded of each other,” she notes. “This requires careful architectural planning so the development still feels unified despite these groups who expect discrete spaces.”
Achieving this balance is crucial. For Cole’s 98-year old grandfather, the independent living community in which he lived didn’t cut it. “He moved out of there with his iPhone 10 and found a new, hipster building with foosball in the lobby. That’s what he wanted – not the traditional senior living package, but somewhere fun and conducive to his personality.”
OKW’s client Presbyterian Homes understands this need for these fresh, new experiences. As more seniors choose to continue working, Presbyterian Homes added an office to their Lake Forest location, with on-site staff to facilitate meetings and conferences. Taking a cue from today’s hospitality industry, they completely revamped their dining experience. What was once a cafeteria is now a multi-use space that acts as a café, bistro, an open kitchen for demonstrations, and a formal dining area with chandeliers, wine, and table service.
“For residents, it’s a restaurant experience right in their home,” Eileen notes. “To be successful in this market, you need all these experiences built-in.”