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XIX EDITION

“What was once a traditional facility is now a boutique-style home”

Interview: Senior Healthcare Living,  A space that felt like home, not a facility.

From the start, we knew this project was about more than just aesthetics, it was about dignity, emotion, and belonging. The building spans three floors, with over 70 resident rooms and 15+ amenity spaces, each serving a unique purpose. Our job was to bring cohesion and warmth across every inch sometimes by salvaging beloved details, other times by starting fresh. The goal? A space that felt like home, not a facility.

PRIA:

Tell us about the vision behind redesigning this senior living home in NYC.

KIA:

A strong system and clear roles made it possible. We worked entirely remote, mapping every space digitally, categorizing what stayed and what needed a rethink. Figma, Notion, and Loom were our lifelines, along with weekly calls and lots of asynchronous feedback. We were obsessive about alignment but also flexible when it counted. Trust within the team made the whole process smooth, even from a distance.

PRIA:

How did you manage a project of this size while working remotely?

KIA:

The hardest part? Making the space feel warm and lived-in without compromising its clinical function. It couldn’t feel sterile, but it had to feel safe. We reimagined the palette with soft, nature-based tones and introduced gentle typography, layered storytelling, and personalized details. One of my favorite transformations was the third-floor lounge, we kept the original woodwork but brought in new textures, lighting, and layout to give it new life.

PRIA:

What was the biggest design challenge and how did you solve it?

KIA:

We didn’t want to erase their history we wanted to elevate it. The brand already had heart, just not a consistent way to show it. We re-centered the messaging around familiarity and comfort, updated the visual system, and designed signage and storytelling elements that felt human. It wasn’t about shiny new things it was about emotional clarity.

PRIA:

How did the existing brand influence your creative direction?

KIA:

Great question. While the core values, dignity, clarity, comfort are shared, the context is different. In the U.S., there's often a stronger emphasis on private branding, market differentiation, and competitive positioning. Facilities are more likely to invest in a distinct brand identity and experiential design to stand out.
In Canada, where healthcare is publicly funded, the approach tends to be more community-focused and utilitarian. Budgets can be tighter, and decision-making often runs through more layers of policy and regulation. That said, there’s still an appetite for thoughtful design, it just needs to work harder within constraints.
In both cases, though, the end goal is the same: to create spaces that support healing, ease, and human connection. We adjust the process, but the intention stays consistent.

 


PRIA:

How does designing healthcare or senior living spaces in Canada differ from the U.S.?

KIA:

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