Senior Living 3.0

We designed our first senior living building in 2008. The project was moving well until the Great Recession hit and everything froze. Those were tough times for everyone. But our client refused to quit, pivoted hard and saved the project. That was the beginning of our education in senior living.

Senior Living 1.0 had been the "nursing home." But in our early years in Senior Living we successfully moved away from the old nursing home model to something much better: Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care in more human friendly home-like environments. This was a huge step-function improvement to 2.0 and those buildings are not only still popular but still being built.

Senior Living 2.0 worked great for the Silent Generation. To their credit they are not known for being picky. We designed for accessibility, wayfinding, comfort, and community. Those were real improvements and still represent baseline requirements. But design was secondary, cautious and forgettable. Lots of boring beige buildings that worked better than what came before, but were not aspirational.

Then Covid hit, and sadly, hit seniors the hardest. I remember talking to a woman on a flight and hearing her story. Married to her best friend for more than 60 years, she was prevented from being with him when he died. I am married to my best friend, so... we cried together. Those were excruciating times for our elders, and a setback for senior living.

Just as the sector began to recover, high interest rates and inflation kept development frozen. Now the market is waking up at exactly the moment Baby Boomers need support for housing, health, lifestyle, and community.

Baby Boomers won’t accept tired buildings designed for their parents. They are not looking for facilities or institutions. They want an elevated lifestyle with wellness, dignity, and community. That is why we are designing Senior Living 3.0.

Senior Living 3.0 is not just a new style or amenity package. It is a new philosophy. It means creating communities that promote wellness and inspire vibrant lifestyles. Creating places that feel modern, connected, healthy, and alive. Boomers don't want to live in a replica of their suburban McMansion. They are aspirational. They want an upgrade. And that's what we have on the boards right now. We're defining the next generation of Senior Living 3.0 by creating aspirational living where our elders will flourish.