Description
West View Manor is an assisted living extension to a 1960s nursing facility. The traditional residential style of the extension complex updates the aesthetic of the entire facility.
The Town Square approach is the distinguishing feature of this project. An enclosed “Main Street” services both the assisted living complex as well as a new entry to the entire campus. The indoor streetscape resembles an early-1900s village. The completely enclosed space resembles a typical small town thoroughfare. The town centre establishes a connecting link between the assisted living residences and the nursing centre and incorporates an array of service options. To foster inter-generational activities, “Grandma’s House” provides children with a play area and encourages casual visits from friends and families.
The configuration of West View Manor in 15-unit clusters (the dementia cluster has 12 units) off the “Main Street Core” allows staff members visual access to all areas for easy monitoring. The complex is arranged into neighbourhoods. This helps foster a sense of familiarity and comfort among residents. The West View Manor Senior Living Community is comprised of The Villas as independent living apartments that offer single-story residences. Town Square with its new assisted living units is a neighbourhood for the memory-impaired. West View Manor Nursing Center incorporates assisted living areas with skilled nursing sections.
The new assisted living community features spacious one and two-room suites. With the enclosed “Main Street” connecting the various wings of the complex, the inhabitants never have to brave rain or snow, while live trees, plants and perpetual blue skies are supposed to bring nature inside. Bridges, a special neighbourhood of twelve residences, provides memory support with careful attention to safety. Bridges uses “Snozelen”, a therapy concept for the cognitively-impaired. Developed in Holland, “Snozelen” is a contraction of the Dutch words for “sniffing” and “dozing”. A multi-sensory atmosphere incorporating sound, scent, colour and other sensory surprises is supposed to lift depression and calm agitation. Another form of technical assistance is Vigil®. This passive sensory system monitors the activities of the residents and alerts staff if they require immediate attention. The paging is silent and unobtrusive, maintaining the residents’ privacy and dignity while keeping them safe.
Drawings
Site plan
Floor plan of the assisted living neighbourhood
Floor plan of the dementia neighbourhood
Photos
Exterior view showing the traditional domestic architecture used throughout the entire complex
An indoor “Main Street” connects the different areas of the complex
Originally published in: Eckhard Feddersen, Insa Lüdtke, Living for the Elderly: A Design Manual, Birkhäuser, 2011.