Project Description

KSA worked with Riverside Health Systems to develop a sensory art experience for the residents living in the Evergreen Memory Care Unit of the Warwick Forest CCRC located in Newport News, Virginia. The goal was to create an art solution that stimulates the senses, which researchers have found increases short and long-term memory, improves mood, and boosts participation in daily activities. This solution also needed to complement the recent renovation efforts through coordination of placemaking themes tied to the surrounding locale.

Main corridors were the area of focus for this design solution. Many of the residents tend to wander, and the hallways provide a safe environment and an opportunity not only for movement, but for exploration and stimulation. Adding artwork also enhances the feeling of home and can make a space feel less institutional.

Our team designed and curated a comprehensive experiential art collection, with each piece carefully selected to create a positive and comfortable experience for the residents. The artwork supports three levels of stimulation: Visual, Tactile, and Connection. A series of triptychs was strategically placed throughout the common areas and corridors.

To establish a tie to the surrounding environment of Newport News, each vignette features visuals and textures of the coastal and tidewater regions of Virginia. Within each triptych, the central image establishes the visual context with stunning color photography. Each photograph is then flanked by tactile materials, often an abstraction from the central image. The unique selection of dimensional materials took great consideration, balancing the tactile experience with durability, performance, and cleanability.

All of the artwork paired beautifully with the design team’s furniture and finish selections at Warwick Forest. The completed spaces are warm, welcoming, and enhance resident wellbeing. The implementation of the sensory art has been very well received, and Riverside Health Systems has requested a similar approach for the art collection at their other CCRC Memory Care Center.

Services

• Programming
• Artwork Selection & Specification
• Interior Finish Selection & Specification
• Furniture Selection & Specification
• Vendor Coordination