The Smith Mountain Lake Retirement Center project began like any other project with lots of preliminary design. I first created an adjacency matrix to get a better understanding of how the spaces I wanted to incorporate were related to one another. This step was especially helpful in figuring out which spaces to place on each level of the building.

This image was hand drawn then refined in Canva.

After the adjacency matrix, my preliminary design turned toward bubble diagrams. There were many unused sketches and ideas, but these three diagrams are the most developed version of my brainstorming. These diagrams showcase the general scale of the spaces, primary adjacency, public/private spaces, as well as the sun and view placements around the facility.

This image was created in Canva.

The bubble diagrams then morphed into a blocking plan. This was a critical step in my design process to understand how circulation would work throughout the building. Up until this point, I still had three stories in my design.

This image was created in Canva.

There was a drastic change between my blocking and preliminary plans as I consolidated my design down to two levels. These preliminary plans showcase doors, windows, walls, and other details such as public/private spaces. This step solidified my design and only minor changes to the floorplan occurred from this point forward.

This image was created in Canva and the floorplan was hand drawn with markers.

This is a 3D model of the Saffer Home. It was made by printing out the floor plan, mounting it to a sheet of foam core, and constructing the walls from the same foam core. The walls, windows, and countertops are made to scale and all the pieces are held together by glue. The purpose of the 3D model is to give the Saffer family a more concrete idea of what the layout of their home will look like. Please click to view the whole image.

This image was created in Canva with the floorplan created in Revit.

These concept sketches were part of the planning process when preparing to render my facility. I chose to sketch out the indoor courtyard at the retirement center, focusing on the circulation through the space. I also wanted to flesh out the landscaping and seating spaces. Additionally, I sketched the nurse station on the second floor, the sun room on the first floor, and the reception desk in the lobby.

These drawings were made by hand with markers.

This document highlights the specific products that I chose for this facility. It includes, flooring, paint, tile, trim, base, and more. The highlighted rooms are the salon, apartment, and hallways/lobby selections. My preferred paint brand is Benjamin Moore, so I selected only Benjamin Moore paints.

This spreadsheet was created in Excel. To the right, you will find a link to the entire document that contains the schedule and furniture selections.

These images showcase the interior design of my facility. The first images depict the assisted living apartments. There is a living room with low pile carpet and access to a small balcony. The dining space is located between the kitchen and living room. At the entry of the unit, there is a large storage cabinet and walk-in pantry. The bedroom is ADA-compliant, along with the bathroom. The bathroom contains an accessible vanity, a roll-in shower, and access to a walk-in closet. The other renderings depict the dining room in the facility and the main street that connects the lobby to the dining space. Main Street includes amenities such as a salon, produce stand, and ice cream parlor.

These photorealistic renderings were created in Lumion.

These renderings showcase the exterior of my facily. The roof is black corguated metal with 2 main gables. The center of the building contains a large sunroof and space for solar panels. Both sides with rows of apartment windows and balconies have access to beautiful lake views. There is a loading dock attached to the pantry/kitchen within for easy access. The back of the building features a vibrant patio with raised gardens and community seating. There is also access to a looped walking path.

These renders were created using SketchUp and Lumion.

These presentation boards summarize my assisted living facility design aim to sell the facility to the client. They include renderings of the apartments and dining room as well as renderings of main street. They summarize the research based and sustainable elements of the project and introduce the key FF&E selections used throughout the apartments and salon. They also offer a couple concept sketches to show the design process. They display the floor plans for both the first and second floors.

This image was created using Canva with rederings from SketchUp and Lumion as well as hand drawings.