HOME OF ONE’S OWN
The Ridges at Athens, once a fully functioning Kirkbride Hospital – one of nearly 40 in the United States, now sits empty. As part of an ongoing preservation effort, this building will be transformed into much needed independent elder housing. To aid the funding, historical preservation status must be maintained – the design consequence of this is that the northern façade has to remain untouched. For this reason, the redesign pulls back from the north, creating more generous rooms in a single-loaded corridor rather than maintain the original double-loaded plan. Light floods the upper floors through large skylights that take advantage of the existing holes in the roof. The grassy areas between buildings on the quieter south side can serve as yard space, right off the ground floor which houses a mix of community services for residents and neighbors including a market with a small cafe, a bakery, pharmacy, and a bathhouse.
There is room to slow down; for resting, and for paying attention to the sensory pleasures of what is around. The project approaches senior living first and foremost as an opportunity to focus on the ephemeral elements that we often overlook in our working lives. The architecture enhances this opportunity by connecting to the community and the natural environment, ideals preserved from the origin of the building. Tactile experiences of mundane moments link each space to the next; between the market and the kitchen one can travel outside, feeling the warmth of brick heated by the sun on their fingertips and cool grass between their toes.
Design Studio 04
Adapted elder housing
Athens, OH
Date
2023
2023