The second development for a continuing care campus serving Needham, Mass., Residences at Wingate adds 91 new residential units including assisted living, independent living, and memory care options to the adjacent skilled nursing facility, Wingate at Needham. The 82,000-plus-square-foot project opened in October 2013. The Architectural Team (TAT), which designed both facilities, conceived Residences at Wingate in response to the client’s desire to establish an upscale brand that would appeal to both residents and their families.
The majority of residents occupy 42 mainstream assisted living units and 37 memory care units. The remaining 12 units are service-enhanced independent living for higher-functioning residents who may have a spouse in skilled, memory, or assisted care, or who want access to assisted living services. Occupying a rectangular site, the facility is organized with the independent living units farthest from the central resident areas to provide privacy, and the assisted living units are within closer proximity to the core of activities.
The owner wanted an active and engaged lifestyle for residents, an approach linked to improved senior care outcomes. Visually connecting spaces has been shown to encourage movement, so the central commons features an open rotunda as a hub. Entering through the front door, residents and visitors view the dining room and two exterior courtyards, as well as a diagonal view of a cafe/bistro amenity. From the rotunda, residents can easily access other amenities such as the fitness center, salon, and library.
Finish materials and color palettes were chosen to reinforce elegance while serving project requirements. For example, furniture is scaled to seniors, with contract-grade fabrics specific to senior care, yet has a residential feel. Artwork throughout includes installations by local artists, and the lounge features a grand piano and fireplace.
Connections to the outdoors are emphasized, and few spaces are denied exterior views. Assisted living and independent living residents have access to several courtyards. The dining room opens onto a patio, weather permitting, with a barbecue, fire pit, and water feature. The bistro also opens onto a courtyard, as does the fitness room.
The memory care area is programmed as a loop, to prevent elopement (wandering off). To facilitate the loop planning, living space is projected to the outside and connected back to the building by way of an enclosed porch, as opposed to the typical large, enclosed courtyard. Finish materials incorporate color differentiations between elements to provide cues to memory care residents and help retain a sense of orientation and ease wayfinding.
