Medford Leas, Medford, New Jersey
Medford Leas, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Medford, N.J., repositioned 32,400 square feet of dining space to better support resident engagement and day-to-day flexibility. Completed in September 2025 and designed by RLPS Architects (Lancaster, Pa.), the project was a finalist in Environments for Aging‘s 2026 Design Showcase.
A primary project goal was to shift dining from a scheduled service model to a more continuous, choice-driven experience. Rather than concentrating dining into a single format, the updated approach creates a range of settings—from informal gathering spaces to traditional sit-down meal areas—that residents can use throughout the day.
Biophilic design in senior living dining venues
The design also draws on a defining feature of the CCRC campus: its accredited arboretum. Materials, finishes, and spatial relationships reference gardens, meadows, and wooded trails, establishing a shared identity across the dining venues while maintaining visual connections to the surrounding landscape.
The community’s formal dining room, reconfigured into the Café on the Atrium, features a series of casual dining options with improved sightlines and circulation. A centrally located coffee venue anchors the space and connects to an adjacent lounge that supports informal gatherings.
The updated Bloom Dining Room supports more traditional dining, with new finishes that reflect the broader biophilic concept. Additional venues include the 4:45 Pub, which introduces a social setting with a central bar and flexible programming, and an outdoor terrace with an integrated kitchen, fire features, and varied seating.
To learn more about EFA’s Design Showcase and all the 2026 honorees, go here.
Medford Leas project details
Location: Medford, N.J.
Completion date: September 2025
Owner: The Estaugh
Total building area: 32,400 sq. ft.
Total construction cost: Not disclosed
Cost/sq. ft.: Not disclosed
Architect: RLPS Architects
Interior designer: RLPS Architects
General contractor: C & C Construction Management Inc.
Engineer: Bala Consulting Engineers (MEP, structural)
Project details are provided by the design team and not vetted by Environments for Aging.
