Seattle-based GenCare Lifestyle aims to celebrate the four facets of its Whole Life Living program, which includes a focus on culinary, vitality, staying sharp, and sense of purpose, within its communities. Working with real estate developer PMB (San Diego), the partners delivered on those elements at the new Gencare Lifestyle at Point Ruston in Tacoma, Wash., using a mix of interior design features and amenity spaces designed to keep residents engaged and active.

For example, the common areas at the 144,000-square-foot community are inspired by a hospitality aesthetic, creating a variety of spaces and flexible seating that encourages the residents to make active connections.

Amenity spaces include a saltwater pool, gym, salon, wellness center, bistro, public and private dining rooms, movie theater, and a vitality suite, which is a multipurpose space for lectures, intergenerational activities, crafting, and dancing.

Art niches are incorporated into the architecture and display resident art and contemporary 3-D installations. Whimsical climber sculptures scaling the face of the main fireplace and throughout the building inspire Gencare’s Vitality facet and engagement of residents in an active lifestyle. The climbers, which represent movement and fluidity, are installed throughout the building and send a subtle reminder to residents to climb their own personal “peaks.”


The community, which opened this past March, features 159 independent living, assisted living, and memory care units. The architecture incorporates the natural beauty and nautical environments of the Puget Sound region. The interior finishes incorporate the natural beauty of the local environment, which is depicted in the wall art, as well as in the caramel and blue color tones incorporated into the textiles.

 

Project details:

Facility name: Gencare Lifestyle at Point Ruston

Location: Tacoma, Wash.

Completion date: March 2020

Owner: HSRE-PMB-II-TRS, LLC

Total building area: 144,000 sq. ft.

Total construction cost: $64 million

Cost/sq. ft.: N/A

Architecture firm: Erdman Architects, Wattenbarger Architects

Interior design: Husted Design

General contractor: MC Construction

Engineering: Erdman Architects