The Story and The Experience – The Dynamic Duo of Senior Living Design
By Scott Girard, DIRECTOR OF IMAGINALITY™
CONNECTING TO NATURAL AMENITIES gives both meaning and a reason for the development, while also supporting active lifestyles for residents of all ages.
Changes and trends have long since blurred the lines between themed entertainment and commercial development. Based upon my career at Disney, I believe a visitor’s experience must be rooted in “the story.” The story gives the project both meaning and a reason for its existing, with every aspect of the project filtered through and intimately tied to “the story.” That said, senior living facilities and campuses can orient themselves toward a specific lifestyle, unique cultural theme, or historical environment, all working to create unique attributes and experiences for the residents.
Recently, National Real Estate Investor published How the Experience Economy is Affecting Commercial Real Estate by Bill Coan. A good friend and former Disney colleague, Bill is a landscape architect and is CEO at ITEC Entertainment Corp. Bill ends the article with the following:
The subtle extension of the principles and disciplines of theme park design to commercial property is a needed progression rather than a transformation. If brick-and-mortar is to survive the disruption of online purchasing, a property must become more experience-based and less transactional. Transactional development inevitably leads to the same challenge with a non-obvious solution: “How do I differentiate myself from a property with naturally better placement?” Development with a subtle, integrated backdrop of entertainment built into the property will win out over the traditionally myopic approach to buildings, retail, even communities.
The aesthetics of the buildings and grounds of senior living campuses shouldn’t be institutional in nature. Indeed, senior living communities are embracing architectural and environmental themes that offer distinctions from one property to another, while attracting potential residents with a strong identity or ‘brand.’
PLANNING FOR ACTIVE LIFESTYLES: Using active lifestyle themes and branding can draw potential clients based on a desired shared experience.
Once ‘branded,’ a property can become more experience-based and less transactional. Transactional development inevitably leads to the same challenge with a non-obvious solution: “How do I differentiate myself from a property with naturally better placement?” Developments with a subtle, integrated backdrop of entertainment built into them will win out over the traditionally myopic approach to buildings and even communities.
The boomers, having grown up at the dawn of the theme park age, are arriving at retirement with a passion for an active lifestyle, a demand for entertainment and dining options, engaging cultural activities, a profound sense of service, and desire to give back and contribute to their communities.
The Story and the Experience – two things we focus on in our senior living design work. We do it because we believe boomers are seeking a place they can call home, and a place that will be in tune with their life stories and experiences.
Scott is a coach and mentor for the planning and design staff at PLACECreation, a group of landscape architects and planners focused on enhancing well-being through the timeless design of sustainable outdoor spaces. He maintains a keen eye toward constructibility and ongoing maintenance considerations – all while not compromising creativity.