Retirement community site plan honored at building design awards

on Wednesday,July 14,2010 21:07

For several years, creative architectural design has been recognized at the Annual Gold Nugget Awards. The ceremony accepts entries from 14 states in the western portion of the U.S., as well as from many different countries.

Splendido, a resort-style retirement center in Arizona, received two Awards of Merit at this year's Gold Nugget ceremony. The Continuing Care Retirement Community was honored with Best Community Site Plan of 20 Acres or More and Best Interior Space.

The retirement center was a joint venture between Mather LifeWays, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of the aged, and Plaza Companies, an award-winning developer. Both organizations collaborated with architectural firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz to create the site plan.

Mather LifeWays worked alongside Interior Design Associates to oversee the community's interior space, which incorporates the heritage of the Southwest through the use of vibrant colors and furnishings.

"When designing the Splendido community, we wanted to find a way to intelligently utilize northwest Tucson's beautiful scenery and landscape and create a space where people could happily live for many years," said Sharon Harper, president and CEO of Plaza Companies.

The Pacific Coast Builders-sponsored awards recognize innovation in building design for residential, commercial and industrial projects.