{ 2015 Senior Living By Design Awards } Laurelwood at Pinehills
natural light, and a wellness center to provide a therapeutic environment. To conserve space, an underground garage with parking for 22 vehicles was created. Wellness offices and examination areas for health-care staff are located on the assisted living and memory care floors.
LAURELWOOD AT THE PINEHILLS Plymouth, Massachusetts Northbridge Companies Architect: The Architectural Team www.architecturalteam.com
A wooded, New England coastal set-
ting creates the backdrop for Laurelwood at the Pinehills, a long and narrow prop- erty requiring a creative multi-level design. A “senior living community without walls,” Laurelwood is located adjacent to the Pinehills Village Green offering resi- dents a fitness center, outdoor pool, salon and spa, as well as a bistro, restaurant, dentist, and an array of medical and health options in a partnership with Beth Israel Deaconess HealthCare.
Te design enables use of the wooded
vistas through common area courtyards and private outdoor patios. To keep residents active and engaged, an open layout visualizes connections between the program elements such as the courtyard, living room, pub, activity room, and patio space. Te courtyard provides residences with privacy as well as many walking paths that connect throughout the entire Pinehills property. Based on feedback from a resident focus group, specific elements were
“Engagement of residents for input in design and program- ming of spaces result- ed in a plan that met their needs. Flexible spaces and outdoor connections are high- lights in this design.” —Judge Maria Nadelstumph, vice president
of organizational development & program excellence, Brandywine Senior Living, dis- cussing Laurelwood at the Pinehills
tion, was impressed with engagement of residents in a focus group to help guide planning and design. “I give them a high mark for positive impact on residents, families, and staff,” he said. Tis community has “beautiful, well- thought-out design features that address all levels of care and services offered,” added Judge Francine O’Neill, the Arbor Company’s senior vice president of resi- dent care.
Amenities include a theater for musical
included in the design, planning, and programming of the community. For example, residents asked for a space for entertaining with family or guests. As a result, a landscaped, outdoor patio with a fireplace, fountains, and shaded and open air spaces was created. Te grand common areas feature privacy nooks, seating areas near fireplaces, and easy-to-reposition furnishings, per resident requests. Fashion- able but clinically safe finish materials and fabrics were incorporated into the design. Lighting was designed to limit the cre- ation of shadows, which can be distracting and make activities difficult to complete. Judge Scott Burkholder, who works in business development for Horst Construc-
14 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 | WWW. ARGENTUM.ORG
performances and plays, and a flexible atrium space that bridged a “common gap between residents and their supporting family members by designing spaces that appeal to both, and quickly became the social heart of the community,” according to the building planners. To promote individual choice and health options, if a resident’s level of care changes, the resi- dent is able to stay in the same apartment and bring in additional required medical services. Additionally, Laurelwood uses
community-wide common area cameras that care team members access via iPod Touch devices. A keyless entry system for residents and employees is used after hours, and underground parking provides residents with access directly to their apartment. To keep the mind sharp, Laurelwood
has incorporated a “brain gym” offering touchscreen computers for residents to play computer games, chat with friends and family through Skype, and connect with grandchildren and others through Facebook.
