Award

70 | A PR IL 2018 Rimbey Valley View Manor PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY BERRY ARCHITECTURE + ASSOCIATES Rimbey Valley View Manor by ROBIN BRUNET I t's a truism that the best build- ing designs are often the simplest, and when the decision was made to replace the 60-unit Parkland Manor retirement lodge in Rimbey, Alberta, with a larger and better facility, the focus was to provide residents with unrestricted views of the surrounding rural landscape. While this concept is in keeping with the evolution of seniors' homes away from antiseptic, windowless spaces, the new 80-suite Rimbey Valley View Manor would also have a large dining area, full commercial kitchen, family dining/multipurpose rooms, recreation and activity areas, a hair salon, administrative offices, and vari- ous support rooms. "Our goal was to design a home for seniors instead of a 'home-like setting' – a descriptive we're not fond of because it suggests that the residents are in transition and something resembling a home is good enough for them," says George Berry, architect and CEO of Berry Architecture + Associates. Peter Hall, CAO of the Rimoka Housing Foundation, notes that a needs assessment undertaken in Rimbey in 2008 led to the governments of Canada and Alberta announcing fund- ing for the new facility in May of 2014, with a portion of the money going towards remedial work on Parkland Manor. "Rimbey Valley View Manor is located just a three minute drive away from Parkland in an area of pan- oramic farmland views," he says. "This fundamentally influenced the design and called for plenty of glazing that would capture these views as well as bring natural light deep into the facil- ity." Patios and a second floor balcony facing west/southwest would also enhance residents' viewing pleasure. In keeping with the horizontal lines of the surrounding natural and man- made topography, Berry designed a two-level structure with 39 residences on the ground level and 41 above, with each unit either overlooking farmland, the foothills, or the town of Rimbey. "We were mindful of the residents' need for privacy, so along the corri- dors we offset the doors to each unit so residents wouldn't be staring into each others' homes," he says. "We also cre- ated recessed entries for visual appeal as well as variety." The rooms themselves were designed to be larger than government standards, with walk-in closets, a small area for fridge and microwave, and spacious bathrooms with large walk-in showers. Corridors were designed to be extra wide (nine feet in some areas), and to enhance the open, airy interior ambi- ance Berry created a main dining area that is double-storey in volume. "People on the second level can look down on it," he says. Hall adds, "The dining area would later be augmented with panels and other materials to impart a 1950s drive-in experience, because many of the residents grew up when drive-ins were at their zenith." Another departure from traditional seniors homes was to situate the din- ing area away from the main entrance of the facility. "Instead, people walk- ing into the facility would be greeted with a large lobby with sitting areas and administration," says Berry. "This serves two purposes: to provide a vibrant public area as well as a mea- sure of security." The exterior of Rimbey Valley View Manor respects the surrounding com- munity by including features that relate to the scale and colour palette of the neighbouring low-density homes; its multiple pitched and angled roofs are reminiscent of barns and farm- houses. "The sense of tradition that informs the exterior was enhanced through the use of horizontal Hardie Board siding and stone running along the bottom of the facility that resem- bles sandstone," says Berry. "We also weren't afraid of using deep, strong colours for the exterior, which helps make the facility look like a series of buildings even though it's not." Shunda Consulting & Construction Management Ltd. broke ground on the eight-acre site in the spring of 2016, with the foundations laid for the new manor as well as a stormwater reten- tion pond created to the east. "The pond has a holdback area so the town's stormwater systems are not over- whelmed," says Berry. Hall points out that trails were designed around the pond and con- structed with funds raised by the Rimbey Lions Club, "the result being that this entire area is like a park in our backyard, accessible to the residents at any time. We also hope to stock the pond for recreational fishing." Each exit from Rimbey Valley View Manor is no more than 15 feet away from the trail system. Trevor Baragar, managing principal for Lex3 Engineering, reports that con- struction was largely uneventful despite the complexity of the project. "We did a few things differently at the owner's request, first and foremost installing structural slabs at the central core of the building and tying them in with the liv- ing wings – to prevent floors cracking due to settlement that is known to occur in facilities of this nature," he says. "This cost extra, but everyone agreed it was money well spent." LOCATION 4417 Rimstone Drive, Rimbey, Alberta OWNER/DEVELOPER Alberta Social Housing Corporation ARCHITECT/INTERIOR DESIGN Berry Architecture + Associates GENERAL CONTRACTOR Shunda Consulting & Construction Management Ltd. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Lex3 Engineering MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Reinbold Engineering Group ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Acuity Engineering TOTAL SIZE 62,000 square feet TOTAL COST $13.7 million The central core of the facility was structural steel (to allow for long- span open spaces), while all of the living units were wood frame. "It's a rare project in that everything came together very smoothly," says Baragar. "Part of this is due to the tight-knit relationships among professionals and the contracting community in central Alberta: the architect and builders had worked together many times before." With an anticipated opening in May, Rimbey Valley View Manor is a much- needed addition to the same-named town and something Hall and his col- leagues are proud of. "It's a beautiful facility that we expect will be a big hit with residents," he says. Berry con- cludes, "as a bonus, the project was completed about $100,000 under bud- get, thanks to a collaborative effort between the builders and ourselves to reduce expenditures." A

• Cover