The Senior Center in downtown Newark, New Jersey, was designed as a holistic response to the needs of the city's aging population. Situated on a 20.000 SF corner lot adjacent to St. Michael's Medical Center and the Newark Museum of Art, the project synthesizes rigorous programmatic requirements with innovative sensory design.
The 45.000 SF, four-story facility is organized around the concept of sensory revitalization. It gently engages the senses to promote wellness, cognitive function, and social connection without overstimulation. Design features include multisensory circulation paths, tactile materiality, curated scent diffusion, and dynamic light modulation through linen curtains that guide movement & airflow.
The program includes wellness and medical offices, a therapy gym, multipurpose activity spaces, a greenhouse, a dining hall, and a complementary community-focused program to foster intergenerational synergy. The design strictly adheres to universal design principles, ADA standards, and building codes, creating a safe, accessible, and dignified environment that enhances its urban context & serves as a new model for elderly care.
concept sketches
site context
sensory diagram
axonometric diagram
first floor plan
second floor plan
third floor plan
roof plan
longitudinal section
perspective section
first floor hallway
private meditation room
