Villa de Flores
Senior Living Community
IIDA Student Design Competition Submission
Winter 2023 • Partnered with Teagan Robinson • 2 Weeks
Revit • Sketchup • Enscape • Photoshop
• • •
“…Austin’s violet crown bathed in the radiance of the morning or arched with twilight’s dome of fretted gold.”
– W. C. Brann, “The Garden of the Gods”, The Iconoclast, 1891.
Villa de Flores, located in Austin, Texas, also known as “City of the Violet Crown”, draws design inspiration from the memorable sunrises and sunsets that glow along the rolling hills covered in native flowers. Translated to Flower Village, the name “Villa de Flores” encompasses the many native wildflowers throughout Texas and creates a community, or village, for seniors to start their next chapter of life.
Able to grow almost anywhere, wildflowers symbolize that no matter where they are, they can adapt and flourish within different terrains. This remains true because a constant in the flower’s success is the sun that rises every morning and sets each evening. Shifting into a new season of life can be difficult and make one uneasy because of the unknowns, the changes, and the what-ifs, but having a continual factor in one’s life can ease this transition.
Rooted throughout Villa de Flores are design elements to remind the residents they are connected, grounded, and home. From the slightly curved accents in the hallways to mimic the rolling hills, or the skylights allowing nature to exist within the walls of the villa, and the vibrant palette of natural colors and textures, to the unique feel of each space, the villa promotes a sense of independence and security within the residents that no matter where they go next, they will still have a home within themselves.
Villa de Flores
A village of flowers, a house for life.
• • •
As society begins to move forward into a post-pandemic world, and the next generation of seniors moves into assisted living, these spaces have begun to be reimagined. Shifting from traditional senior living has allowed designers and architects to stray from less institutional spaces and create small “neighborhoods” of residents. By creating clusters of suites, this limits this number of staff and residents in shared spaces and enhances airflow throughout. A small detail, like a working porch light outside the resident’s door, can allow them to create a familiar routine they had at their former home by turning on the lights before bed. Incorporating these design elements allows the overall health and wellbeing of residents and caregivers to dramatically improve as it has created a feel like a “real” home.
IIDA Student Design Competition Submission
Winter 2023 • Partnered with Teagan Robinson • 2 Weeks
Revit • Sketchup • Enscape • Photoshop
• • •
“…Austin’s violet crown bathed in the radiance of the morning or arched with twilight’s dome of fretted gold.”
– W. C. Brann, “The Garden of the Gods”, The Iconoclast, 1891.
Villa de Flores, located in Austin, Texas, also known as “City of the Violet Crown”, draws design inspiration from the memorable sunrises and sunsets that glow along the rolling hills covered in native flowers. Translated to Flower Village, the name “Villa de Flores” encompasses the many native wildflowers throughout Texas and creates a community, or village, for seniors to start their next chapter of life.
Able to grow almost anywhere, wildflowers symbolize that no matter where they are, they can adapt and flourish within different terrains. This remains true because a constant in the flower’s success is the sun that rises every morning and sets each evening. Shifting into a new season of life can be difficult and make one uneasy because of the unknowns, the changes, and the what-ifs, but having a continual factor in one’s life can ease this transition.
Rooted throughout Villa de Flores are design elements to remind the residents they are connected, grounded, and home. From the slightly curved accents in the hallways to mimic the rolling hills, or the skylights allowing nature to exist within the walls of the villa, and the vibrant palette of natural colors and textures, to the unique feel of each space, the villa promotes a sense of independence and security within the residents that no matter where they go next, they will still have a home within themselves.
Villa de Flores
A village of flowers, a house for life.
• • •
As society begins to move forward into a post-pandemic world, and the next generation of seniors moves into assisted living, these spaces have begun to be reimagined. Shifting from traditional senior living has allowed designers and architects to stray from less institutional spaces and create small “neighborhoods” of residents. By creating clusters of suites, this limits this number of staff and residents in shared spaces and enhances airflow throughout. A small detail, like a working porch light outside the resident’s door, can allow them to create a familiar routine they had at their former home by turning on the lights before bed. Incorporating these design elements allows the overall health and wellbeing of residents and caregivers to dramatically improve as it has created a feel like a “real” home.
|
|
