The 2016 EFA Expo & Conference gave attendees the chance to explore several senior living communities in the Austin, Texas, area on April 9. Westminster, approximately five miles north of the city, was among them, hosting a tour of its Windsor Building that was completed in January 2012.
The Windsor Building is the final phase of a $100 million expansion project, built by White Construction, which was six years in the making. Designed by Perkins+Will, the 75-unit building accommodates independent living as well as skilled nursing, assisted living, and memory care.
The campus’s original structure named Preston, built in 1967, houses 253 apartments for independent living, as well.
The interiors of Windsor, designed by Faulkner Design Group, feature soft, neutral colors. Furnishings, flooring, artwork, and lighting in the public areas were selected with the independent living resident in mind, but with consideration for them to age in place with varying levels of care required over time.
Apartments in Windsor, ranging from 845 to 1,671 square feet, have granite countertops and wood cabinetry to give a warm and modern aesthetic, and each unit has a washer and dryer. Residents decorate and furnish their own apartments, and Westminster will retrofit a resident’s apartment as they require advanced levels of care.
Seating vignettes along the corridors and next to each elevator provide rest stops for residents as well as intimate conversation spaces. Westminster also made sure to prioritize technology in the community for residents to access the internet (including those who attend the nearby University of Texas).
Additional amenities include the Dogwood Café with an outdoor dining space, seven guest rooms to support overnight stays by family, multiple courtyards, a putting green, storage lockers, and a chapel.
