Maine Veterans’ Homes, Augusta, in Augusta, Maine, wanted to transform to a person-centered model of care by adopting a small-house model for its new residential building.
Opened in March 2022, the community’s 12 houses have different aesthetics inspired by the Maine landscape, including a farmhouse, lake house, summer cottage, and seaside resort. The styles are represented through different fabrics, paint colors, furniture, art, and layouts.
Each house comprises 12-15 private bedrooms and bathrooms, a residential kitchen, dining room, den, and living room. Clinical functions and spaces are integrated into the living spaces. For example, staff/nurses’ rooms are not immediately accessible or visible to occupants and the community does not use nurses’ carts.
Home to 138 Marine veterans, Maine Veterans’ Homes also includes a metal sculpture of two saluting soldiers at the lobby fireplace. The community center has a Main Street that’s designed to resemble a small town with storefronts, including a barber shop, bank, bistro, children’s park, chapel, and theater.
To further bring aspects of the surrounding community to veteran residents, the project team designed the corridors to resemble cobble streets, the chapel features a white exterior, and the children’s park has a tree structure.
Project details for Maine Veterans’ Homes, Augusta:
Location: Augusta, Maine
Completion Date: March 2022
Owner: Maine Veterans’ Homes
Total Building Area: 179,475 sq. ft.
Total Construction Cost: approximately $91 million
Cost/Sq. Ft.: approximately $507.03
Architecture Firm: Plunkett Raysich Architects LLP
Interior Design: Gawron Turgeon Architects P.C.
General Contractor: Cianbro, VJS Consulting Services, A Joint Venture
Engineering: IMEG Corp., Stantec, Pierce Engineers
