AS A RESPONSE TO ACCESSIBILITY, SECURITY, GARDENS, VIEWS AND THE OVERALL DESIRE TO KEEP AS MUCH OPEN SPACE AS POSSIBLE, THIS PROPOSED CONCEPT FOR SENIOR HOUSING GROUPS CLUSTERS OF 4-5 RESIDENTIAL UNITS INTO MINI COMMUNITIES OFFERING A VARIETY OF SPACIAL TYPES AND SQUARE FOOTAGES ON A LEVEL PLATFORM. THE DESIGN INTEGRATES THE NEED FOR LEVEL WALKING SURFACES WITHIN THE CHANGING TERRAIN OF STEEP HILLSIDES ON 2 NON CONTIGUOUS SITES IN NOVATO, CA.
RESIDENTIAL UNITS ARE ARRANGED IN A COURTYARD CONFIGURATION WITHIN EACH CLUSTER. PRIMARILY A SENIOR RESIDENTIAL COMPLEX, THE CLUSTERS PROVIDE BOTH A SENSE OF PRIVACY AND NEIGHBORLY CONTACT AS WELL AS SECURITY OF NOT HAVING AN ISOLATED RESIDENCE SERVED BY A SINGLE DRIVEWAY. EACH GARAGE IS ACCESSED THROUGH A SHARED COURTYARD. INTERACTION DEVELOPS BY USING THE CENTER VINE COVERED ARBOR AND RAINWATER FOUNDATION FOR SITTING, CONVERSING OR NEIGHBORLY GATHERINGS. THESE ARBORS ARE PLANTED WITH CLIMBING VINES TO CREATE A COVERED GREEN CANOPY FOR SHADE & COOLING.
WITHIN EACH CLUSTER ARE DESIGNATED AREAS OF GARDENING BELONGING TO EACH RESIDENCE. THE GARDEN AREA INVITES INDIVIDUAL CULTIVATION AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF PLANT LIFE. ELEVATION CHANGES REQUIRING WALLS BECOME VERTICAL GARDENS WHILE COMMUNITY PATHS MEANDER FROM ONE CLUSTER TO ANOTHER.
THE NATIVE AND ADAPTIVE GARDENS HELP FILTER THE GREY WATER USED FOR IRRIGATION AND THE BLACK WATER TREATMENT & RECYCLING SYSTEM IS FILTERED THROUGH CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS AND BACK TO SITE USAGE