Legacy Lane is a specialized residential environment designed to support individuals living with dementia by promoting autonomy, comfort, and emotional well-being through evidence-based design strategies. Recognizing that traditional care settings can often feel institutional and disorienting, the project reimagines senior living as a warm, familiar, and person-centered experience. The design emphasizes intuitive wayfinding, sensory comfort, and opportunities for meaningful engagement through carefully considered spatial planning, materiality, and environmental cues. Soft, residential-inspired finishes, layered textures, and nature-informed elements create spaces that feel calming and recognizable, while communal and restorative areas encourage social interaction and moments of everyday joy. Grounded in research on aging, cognition, and environmental psychology, Legacy Lane demonstrates how thoughtful design can preserve dignity, support identity, and enhance quality of life for residents and their caregivers.
PLAN
The planning of Legacy Lane was guided by a desire to create an environment that feels familiar, intuitive, and supportive of daily life for residents living with dementia. The ground floor serves as the community hub, housing reception, gathering spaces, and amenities such as the salon, which was intentionally located on the first floor rather than within the residential levels. Positioned near the entry, the salon acts as a destination and "getaway" experience, encouraging movement, providing opportunities for social engagement, and introducing moments of anticipation and routine beyond residents' immediate living environments. The second floor accommodates residential neighborhoods organized around communal living and dining spaces, allowing private accommodations and support services to remain closely connected to shared activities. Together, the planning strategy balances independence and care while fostering familiarity, choice, and meaningful everyday experiences.
RECEPTION
SUITE BEDROOM
COMMUNAL BALCONY
SUITE DINING
COMMUNAL BALCONY
