VISTA WEST

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Madison’s growing west side presented a unique greenfield site development opportunity to introduce a desirable modern senior living option.
• The community was thoughtfully integrated into a mixed use, walkable area bordered by a high school, affordable housing, condominiums as well as retail and corporate businesses.
• The modern structures define the site and are punctuated by a dramatic entry sequence—a contemporary awning that offers a retail appeal within this commercial corridor.
• The fitness center occupies a storefront position on the first floor to reinforce the mixed use aesthetic of the greater campus.
• The architecture continues the mixed use feel with a palette of fiber cement panels in whites and grays accented with wood details. A contemporary bent plate on the front elevation ties to the adjacent retail aesthetic and creates a covered outdoor amenity on the rooftop.
• The building forms wrap around on the backside of the site to create a private courtyard. This area pulls away from the property line to provide residents with an oasis for outdoor activity as well as visual relief for the adjacent residential neighborhood.
• This centralized courtyard offers desirable views for independent, assisted and memory care residents with units facing this side of the building.
• The interior finish palette and furniture selections evoke the feeling of a modern Northwoods lodge.
• A feature that sets this community apart is the ability of the independent living apartments to support assisted living healthcare services due to a floating Residential Care Apartment Complexes (RCAC) license.
• This allows residents to age in place in the apartment unit they consider home, and when needed healthcare services can be delivered directly to them without requiring them to move.
• The project was preparing for construction at the onset of the Covid shutdown, so the team took the opportunity to observe and learn from a recently completed project and adjusted the plans.
• One of the numerous adjustments was an increased budget to expand outdoor gathering spaces for safety and comfort of residents and visiting family members.
• This area includes seating for dining, a fire pit, outdoor kitchens, and a pergola overlooking sculptural fountains. They are adjacent to a covered outdoor area connected to the community room, featuring a fireplace. The adjoining courtyard includes raised planting beds, gazebo, shed and potting bench—and walkways through the garden. An outdoor exercise circuit weaves past the garden courtyard for active residents to partake in outdoor wellness programs.