Environments for Aging - Spring 2022 - 25

TRICIA SHAY PHOTOGRAPHY (TRATTORIA & BALCONY); DIRECT SUPPLY APTURA (CLUBROOM)
APHY/SHAYPHOTO.COM (ST. RITA SQUARE); BLITCH KNEVEL ARCHITECTS LLC (SAINT JOHN'S); CORY ALBRECHTSON - SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER DIRECT SUPPLY (DIRECT SUPPLY)
Tour guides
THE EFA CONFERENCE off ers three tours from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, April 2.
(Registration is available at environmentsforaging.com.) Here, EFA asked the
design leads on those projects to preview what attendees can look forward to
on their visits.
T01: St. Rita Square
perience. By honoring the heritage of the site, we
created a unique mixed-use setting where seniors
can remain in the neighborhood they love and
have access to a supportive church community.
T02: Saint John's on the Lake - North
Tower Project
What was a challenge you had to overcome?
Th e site contained a three-story skilled nursing
building that was kept in operation through the
fi rst phase of construction. After that, the nursing
building was demolished and backfi lling between
the new North Tower and existing Central
Tower was completed to add more care rooms
and commons area to the new tower.
T03: Direct Supply's Innovati on
& Technology Center
St. Rita Square in the heart of Milwaukee integrates
senior living within a liturgical setting.
Here, Eric Harrmann, chief design officer at
AG Architecture (Milwaukee), discusses some
project highlights.
EFA: What about the community's architecture
and/or interior design stands out to you most?
Harrmann: The architecture
carries forward the familiar feel
of the previous church [on the
site], the forms and shapes found
in the adjacent neighborhood,
as well as the rich Sicilian heritage of the area.
Cherished artifacts from the original church
were recovered, restored, and incorporated into
the exterior and interior design.
What's a new approach on display here?
Translating a horizontal suburban confi guration
into a vertical urban solution. Th is included the
evolution of the casetta-a concept that promotes
socialization. Th e penthouse gathering area and
outdoor patio as well as amenity spaces throughout
the community support an active urban lifestyle
that keeps seniors connected and engaged to
their fellow residents and the vibrant city beyond.
What's one takeaway from the project?
Th is project demonstrates the power of community
connections to elevate the senior living exSaint
John's on the Lake is a continuing care
retirement community nestled on the bluff s of
Lake Michigan. Here, Ronald B. Blitch, president
of Blitch Knevel Architects LLC (New Orleans),
talks about the community's renovated North
Tower, completed in 2020.
EFA: What was an original project goal?
Blitch: The design concept, by
EUA Architects (Milwaukee)
with assistance from Blitch
Knevel Architects, environmental
gerontologist Lorraine G.
Hiatt, and project management
fi rm VJS Construction Services (Milwaukee), was
the result of a detailed and inclusive programming
and planning process. One of the guiding
principles was to have this project advance senior
living design and cohesively join the various elements
of Saint John's in one complex.
What's a new approach on display here?
Th e care neighborhoods on the second, third, and
fourth fl oors off er a fl exible approach to skilled
nursing, assisted living, and memory care. Each
fl oor houses 25 residents with ample common
areas for dining, relaxing, and socializing.
Located on the campus of Milwaukee School of
Engineering University, Direct Supply's recently
renovated Innovation & Technology Center (ITC)
is dedicated to improving existing technologies
and developing innovations related to senior
health. Program manager Mary Palmer shares
some details on the center.
EFA: What stands out about the ITC?
Palmer: Everything within the
space is purposeful-from flexible
workspaces to engaging
displays that encourage visitors
to think outside the box. For
example, our DS Smart solution, which allows
caregivers to instantly capture and connect data
to EMR-connected equipment, was built from
feedback captured during a session in our space.
What is a tour highlight attendees will see?
Th ey'll see solutions in our innovation lab that
we're currently exploring, such as one that
helps caregivers implement person-centered
fall prevention through fall video review.
spring 2022 | 25

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Environments for Aging - Spring 2022

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