Rosemann, Mount Carmel Win Award for Seniors Group Living Design

By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorSt. Louis, Mo.–The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging Conference in Philadelphia, the American Institute of Architects and the IDEAS Institute have named Rosemann & Associates P.C. and Mount Carmel Senior Living as the winner of The Green House Design Charrette in the urban design category. Supported by the not-for-profit NCB Capital Impact organization, a Green House Project is a design concept for group residences where frail seniors live independently in a home-like environment while simultaneously receiving skilled nursing care.  “The theory is that providing more choices and an intimate, ‘home-like’ atmosphere supports an active living environment which can lead to a sense of meaning and fulfillment in one’s life,” says senior living design expert Nancy Rodney, AIA, LEED AP. The Green House Design Charrette involved teams from all over the country, categorized into professional and student teams. Each team was assigned one of three site types: urban, suburban, or rural. Rosemann was assigned the urban site and provided a design titled Garden in the City.  “Our design creates a connection to nature and community activity that is welcoming and familiar to senior residents,” says Rodney. “For frail seniors that are unable to get outside every day these connections are necessary for mental health and personal interest.”  Each design category received roughly 20 entries and was judged based on creativity, feasibility and its ability to capture the spirit of the Green House model.Though Green House homes are a fairly new concept among design professionals and care providers in the Midwest, Rodney says the idea is spreading. Currently, there is one Green House model community in Kansas, one in Ohio and three in Michigan. At the same time, the cost to participate in the Green House project is moving out of reach for many senior care providers.  “I do think that we will see a Green House community soon in our part of the Midwest,” she says. “This is because there are providers who feel the support offered by the program to develop a community is worth the cost.”