To Mather CEO Mary Leary, the group’s latest lifeplan group within the Washington, D.C. market has a possibility to redefine senior residing wellness and way of life requirements for a brand new technology of residents.
The group, inbuilt a master-planned space in Tysons, Virginia, that features a public park, spans two towers and conforms to Management in Vitality and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification requirements.
Blended into the glass trendy design of The Mather are landscaped gardens and outside house that deliver nature indoors. The group’s design additionally emphasizes daylight with the intention of bettering residents’ circadian rhythms. The inside contains eucalyptus wooden building and a coloration palette mimicking daybreak and nightfall.
With a forward-thinking design that goals to advertise wellness and independence, The Mather has been named the primary place winner within the lifeplan class of the Senior Housing Information Structure and Design Awards.
The idea
The Mather brings wellness into “each facet” of resident day by day residing, Leary stated. The idea of getting ready for future generations of lively older adults initially drove the group to embark on the bold growth undertaking over a decade in the past.
The seek for the group’s web site began in 2012. By 2017, the group had acquired its property in Virginia, adopted by entitlement approvals in 2019, Leary added.At this stage, the group teamed up with architectural agency Solomon Cordwell Buenz inside designer Studio 1-2-1 together with Bonnie Mason and commenced engaged on what would ultimately turn out to be The Mather.
From the outset, the undertaking staff sought to deliver nature and sustainability to the forefront whereas sustaining wellness rules.
“That is biophilic design and sustainable design to assist residing effectively and it was vital for the design staff and the developer to actually make this a memorable, lasting place that’s a refuge,” stated Principal at Solomon Cordwell Buenz Jim Curtin.
Studio 1-2-1 Principal Rachelle DeGeorge added, “In design we needed delicate daybreak neutrals mixing cool and heat coloration tones that transition into nightfall with pops of citrine yellow and deep woods’ violets and peacock blues.”
The designers used metallic finishes and eucalyptus wooden all through the group, amenity areas to pay homage to a kaleidoscope of cultures represented within the bustling D.C. space.
The group was designed with six eating areas, with names just like the restaurant Tashi, Tibetan for luck. The group design additionally included areas with names comparable to a well being heart known as Kokua, Hawaiian for extending assist with out anticipating something in return; and a rooftop lounge dubbed Sora, which is Japanese for sky.
Amenity areas had been designed round a melange of multicultural influences. The designs took inspiration from Blue Zone ideas along with philosophies from Chinese language drugs and Japanese eating.
“We needed to concentrate on world cultures in our applications, inside design finishes, delicacies and artwork,” Leary stated. “We had been very intentional about that as a result of we actually needed to be inclusive and appeal to of us who’ve lived all world wide whereas hopefully attracting a youthful older grownup than has been sometimes served by senior residing.”
With an expansive inexperienced backyard roof protecting an underground stacked parking system, the group additionally ties into a close-by park with non-public resident outside house and connecting to public entry factors.
The development
The group began building in April 2022 after the group secured $300 million in financing.
Even amid the pandemic, building remained on schedule for amenity areas and the residential buildings, Leary stated.
On high of securing financing with 10 banks in a turbulent market, the undertaking’s greatest problem in building got here from provide chain hiccups because of the pandemic. That led design groups to make use of different, simpler to supply components, comparable to switching from oak from Canada to eucalyptus wooden. Nonetheless, the delays meant extra time ready on vital components of the complicated underground parking construction.
“You may have a look at them as challenges, however we additionally see them as refinements,” Curtin stated.
Metallic and wooden finishes with upscale home equipment, plus flexibility in unit ideas helped deliver ahead customization for brand new residents. Excessive gloss door panels that had been painted and stained blended into eating and toilet areas of the unit’s trendy really feel, in line with DeGeorge. Flooring-to-ceiling home windows in amenity areas and flats additionally helped deliver pure gentle into the group.
“We created 4 pallets with heat and funky and modern options in thoughts,” DeGeorge stated.
Throughout the group, almost 300 distinctive items of artwork fill private and non-private areas together with sculptures, customized glass lighting or woven tapestries and murals. Building remained on price range and was completed on schedule, Leary famous.
The completion
The group’s first, 181-apartment house tower opened in March of final 12 months and the second, 112-unit tower opened in September 2024. A further house for reminiscence care and expert nursing will open later this spring, Leary stated.
The group was pre-sold 70% earlier than building began and quick ahead, The Mather is 90% offered and 76% occupied.
A testomony to forward-looking design, Leary highlighted how roughly 75% of present residents are from the Child Boomer or Era X cohorts. Moreover, 25% of residents residing in the neighborhood are from different nations.
“It’s fairly distinctive and it’s sometimes very troublesome to attain that in senior residing in order that’s been one of the thrilling facets for me to see once I visited,” Leary stated. “Once we envisioned this undertaking, we needed to draw the following technology of older adults and it’s been very well-received.”
She added, “The boomers and Gen Xer’s have arrived.”
Programming contains conscious artwork courses of Kintsugi, the Japanese observe of repairing damaged pottery with gold or creating intricate round mandalas. Residents can go for a “Symphony Swim” within the heated saltwater pool with candlelight and a reside cellist or use the infrared sauna and “Breath Lounge” for residents to chill out after spending time on the Nepali-inspired Saam Terrace.
Residents are inspired to participate in health-forward practices comparable to shojin ryori, a Japanese observe of cooking with components bringing 5 colours or flavors; or hara hachi bu, one other Japanese idea of consuming till you might be simply 80% full.
Whereas strolling via the constructing, Curtin stated he noticed how energized, engaged and comfortable residents had been, collaborating in programming or having fun with outside areas and utilizing the assorted wellness and eating areas.
“An indication of a profitable group is that you just stroll into it and you might be instantly confronted with a plethora of areas that enable folks to combine and interact and so they’re thriving,” Curtin stated.
SHN Structure and Design Award choose Greg Gauthreaux stated The Mather demonstrated “spectacular architectural influence with considerate integration of out of doors group areas,” contrasted with “vibrant and properly curated” inside design components.
