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xceptional planning went into the design and construction of the 132-unit Copper Sky Assisted Living Facility in Spruce Grove, Alberta. The project was built by Choices In Community Living Inc., a family-run irm that currently operates two similar facilities. "The building is for seniors who require some degree of care and assistance with daily living activities, as well as for people dealing with dementia – an area of increasing need in Alberta," says Nicole Gaudet, the company's vice president. "The government put out a call for projects to provide supported living spaces for seniors, and we put together a proposal with architect Luc Hong." The four-storey structure, while not having registered nursing on-site, provides a certain measure of care, health services and monitoring. "We will have a variety of recreational activities and spiritual services," says Gaudet. "We are determined to offer congregate living at its very best and we could not have done by Irwin Rapoport it without a government partnership. The aim is to provide a good quality of life for the residents. Everything that we learned has been and other high-tech elements include incorporated into the design. This is our second project with wireless phones for staff and door conLuc Hong and Krawford, and Hong was able to bring her many trol devices. The design also allows for years of experience into the design of Copper Sky. We are get- ceiling lifts to be placed in each room. ting a very functional and appealing building." The corridors are designed to supStantec Architecture Ltd. designed the building that port movement for the residents and is divided into three wings. "It's more modern than most staff. In terms of interior inishes, an standard care facilities," says Hong. "The three upper loors easy-to-maintain power-bond carpet have shared balconies facing a ravine to the east and the site was placed along the corridors. The entrance to the west." dementia units have wood grain resilThere are basically two types of glazing. The suites have ient looring and the washrooms and six-by-six-foot windows that are 1.5 feet above the loor and showers have non-slip looring. For the provide views of the common areas, landscaping and ravine. walls, various brightly hued paints are "We're mindful of energy consumption," says Hong. "It's used to provide contrast, and highlight not a LEED building, but we put in appropriate lighting and functional areas. "For many seniors," says Hong, "light colours can look simiheating systems and the exterior walls are well-insulated." The exterior inish consists of ibre cement planks that give lar." Hong notes that the structure is mira wood appearance and stone tiles made from concrete. "The building features earth tones and neutral colours that blend roring her design "that takes in a variety in with the environment," says Hong. "The site area is limited of health and safety concerns, creates a so we stacked the loors like apartment buildings which are popular in urban areas." There are living units on each loor, with the two dementia LOCATION units (15 rooms and 12 rooms) on the main loor each link- 100 McLaughlin Drive ing to an enclosed courtyard. There are 84 standard assisted Spruce Grove, Alberta living units with sleeping and living areas, tea kitchen and OWNER/DEVELOPER wheelchair-accessible three-piece washroom. There are also Choices In Community Living Inc. three bariatric suites and 15 one-bedroom suites for couples. GENERAL CONTRACTOR Krawford Construction Inc. While the main community rooms are on the ground loor, "they are spread throughout," says Hong. "After pass- ARCHITECT Stantec Architecture Ltd. ing through the reception desk in the lobby, you enter a large STRUCTURAL/MECHANICAL/ multi-purpose room with comfortable furnishings and when ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT hosting big events, the furniture can be moved to create a Stantec Consulting Ltd. party room. It is connected to the east-facing courtyard that CIVIL ENGINEER Urban Systems Ltd faces the ravine." Ensuring the security of the residents is important, espe- LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT cially for those suffering from dementia. The building has a Douglas Walters Landscape Architect Ltd. separate entrance for staff, with visitors and residents using TOTAL AREA 105,466 square feet the main one. The ground loor has a dining area for staff and TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST visitors, a beauty parlor, a small café and a private dining $19.5 million room for families. There are also multi-purpose rooms and TOTAL PROJECT COST Internet lounges on upper loors, along with staff rooms. $28 million Residents have emergency call pendants to contact staff COURTESY STANTEC CONSULTING LTD. E Copper Sky Assisted Living Facility Copper Sky Assisted Living Facility p.96-97Copper Sky.indd 97 pleasant living environment, is energy ef icient and meets the needs of the staff and management." Douglas Walters Landscape Architect Ltd. prepared the landscape design, which includes a trail system, trees, shrubs and perennial beds for both the public and private spaces. Drought-tolerant native trees and shrubs were chosen, along with a selection of materials that give seasonal colour. "Trees provide shade and visual interest for the residents and visual prominence from windows were important in their placement," says Walters, president of the company. "We created several lower beds hardy to a northern climate. Woody ornamentals and hardy perennials suitable for this area were selected." The trail system is paved to provide proper handicap accessibility. "Good open space along the trail system with benches in seating areas enhance the space, along with landscaped enclosed patios to the dementia units," says Walters. Krawford Construction Inc., an experienced contractor in the construction of seniors' living facilities, began work on the project in the winter of 2011. Foundations were the irst major challenge, due to the nature of the soil. "Dynamic cast-in-place concrete (Compacto) piles were used," says Stuart Hawkeswood, Krawford's project manager. "This entailed driving 16- to 36-inch-diameter shafts into the ground, illing the shaft with gravel and concrete mix, and then consolidating them with a large steel weight." During the piling operations, the weather was extremely cold and included heavy snowfalls throughout the winter that caused major delays. "I re-evaluated the schedule and changed it to a very aggressive sequenced schedule," says Hawkeswood. "Basically, we pushed ahead with inishing the building in sections in order to manage our manpower allocation. In one wing, we are installing the inishes and are just inishing the second wing exterior. This leapfrog approach has kept the building moving ahead at a steady schedule." Thanks to the cooperation of subcontractors and trades, Krawford was able to keep the project on track through the harsh winter construction season. "No one is able to control the weather," says Hawkeswood, "but by communicating with everyone concerned on a regular basis and enlisting their aid, another project will be successfully completed by Krawford." ■ AUGUST 2012 /97 7/13/12 10:46 AM