An Immersive Sensory Experience: Revitalizing Touchmark Senior Living Community

Abstract

This thesis project focuses on providing a unique sensory expereince for residents, employees, and visitors at Touchmark at Harwood Groves, a local senior living community. This is a large complex that houses independent and assisted living, as well as a memory care unit. The full site is approximately 14 acres but this project will focus on a 2 acre portion that is currently open for developement.

There is a growing need for accessible outdoor spaces within senior living communities. Many of these facilities lack proper outdoor amenities for active ageing and healing. The aging population is consistantly growing, but accessable and engaging outdoor accomodations for them are falling behind in growth.

The goal for this project is to create an outdoor space that encourages residents to spend more time outside and to lead a healthy avtice lifestyle surroudned by nature. This setting also promotes visitation by family and friends. By reimagining the vacant space at Touchmark, a large interactive sensory garden will enhance the experience of residents at touchmark.