Providence Retirement Community

A high quality residential atmosphere on a very limited budget was the design objective for the 72 Assisted Living Units and 100 Nursing Beds of the Providence Retirement Community. The overall mass and scale of the building is diminished by defining different programmatic entities or living groups into smaller house elements. The clustered living groups provide specific care to individuals of similar abilities in each of the designated areas of the project.

The Assisted Living Facility is defined as four house elements connected by a central two story Rotunda with clerestory lighting. The main entry house contains the administrative offices. The other three residential sized massings have varying numbers of private assisted living units clustered around common living rooms with family kitchens.

The Nursing Home has two separate entry houses that enable the facility to distinguish the type of care provided for the residents of each area and the community-at-large. Living areas are located at each end of the Wings, and connect to a secure exterior courtyard within the overall building.

The core connects the nursing and assisted living areas, and is organized around a tall clerestory space acting as a "Narthex" of the Chapel. Three dining rooms, serving individuals of different abilities, open onto porches in the enclosed courtyards. One main commercial kitchen is used to prepare food that is distributed to two serving kitchens. The remaining Core functions include a large multi-use room, beauty salon, and ice cream parlor.