Back to Awards

Healthcare Honorable Mention

Presented to StudioSix5
Skyline at First Hill
Seattle Washington

Project Description

The interior design team set its sights on challenging the conventional design aesthetics that often lead to institutional looking senior living environments. This goal was successfully accomplished by seamlessly weaving senior-specific elements like upgraded lighting levels, color choices for aging eyes, corrected furniture ergonomics, and designs for highly specialized dementia & skilled care units into a more innovative hospitality aesthetic that actively contributes to healthy and fulfilling lifestyles for residents in all levels of care.

For example: non-glare light fixtures providing proper foot candle levels took the form of pendants and wall sconces rather than 2 X 4 recessed fluorescents.  Low pile height solution-dyed carpets were custom designed in fashionable colors and large patterns rather than specifying small scale, nondescript motifs. Durable crypton upholsteries were applied in bright colorful patterns to make furniture locations more visually obvious to frail residents. Therapeutically themed and locally imaged artwork provides residents with familiar reference points in their new home.          

Saturated colors were utilized for ease of way finding, to provide visual contrast to the more monochromatic wood, wall and carpet finishes. This monochromatic approach to the building interior envelope projects a warm and secure feeling to residents in an often rainy and overcast climate, and frames the spectacular Seattle views provided by the buildings’ hilltop site.

Innovations in functional amenities for the project include: choices in dining venues for independent living residents, incorporation of residential neighborhood concepts, family style dining rooms, small concierge-style care giving stations in assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care, state of the art fitness areas, and upscale bathing and beauty spas for health center residents.  

Another innovation was the alignment of color and interior programming on the main floor according to feng shui principles for environmental harmony.  These principles recommend the placement of specific functions and colors within a nine quadrant Bagua Map. For example: placing the Library within the North East/Knowledge and Self-Cultivation quadrant and using the recommended color blue on all upholsteries, and placing the Main Salon within the East Health & Family quadrant and using the recommended color green on all upholsteries and photographic art featuring images of vegetation.  These philosophies uniquely met the aspirations of a faith-based project owner searching for ways to impart a more spiritual aspect to the project.

Judges Comments

• the design team has created an inviting, warm and friendly facility that seniors would feel comfortable living in
• the lighting is well selected and suitable for senior living
• definitely hihg end for retirement living...outstanding