The Center at Belvedere

Charlottesville, VA

2021 AIA Design for Aging Review Award of Merit

The Center at Belvedere Cover Image

How can a structure promote healthy aging?

Social and lifestyle choices impact health later in life more than almost any genetic factor. The Center at Belvedere, a community center for older adults, provides a supportive environment for social engagement, physical well-being, civic involvement, creativity, and lifelong learning. More than one hundred programs and classes are offered every week, including access to a worldwide travel office, health and fitness activities, band recitals, music, and fine arts instruction.

Taking advantage of a woodland setting at one end of the site, The Center stretches along the edge of a hill overlooking a pond. Connectivity and abundant daylight drive the design, creating a space that is both uplifting and accessible to all.

From the moment a member arrives to when they settle into a classroom, they are welcomed, acknowledged and seen. The building, by design, facilitates The Center’s mission of helping patrons avoid the isolation that can so easily come later in life.

The Center at Belvedere Staircase and Lobby

The parking and arrival hub are connected to forest views, gardens, and an outdoor event space through an open, airy atrium. This striking space is the connective core of The Center, housing the welcome desk for arriving members, a cafe, a lounge, and the grand stair.

The Center at Belvedere Stair and Sitting Area

As the primary organizing element along the common corridor, members can easily find their way back to the light-filled hub of activity from any classroom or program space.

The Center at Belvedere Fitness

Large windows to the exterior flood each room with daylight, reducing the energy load of the building while lifting members’ spirits.

The Center at Belvedere Sketch
The Center at Belvedere Solar

The facility’s electricity is provided by an expansive photovoltaic panel array on the roof.

The Center at Belvedere Signage
The Center at Belvedere Sky View
The Center at Belvedere Patio
The Center at Belvedere Landscaping

Project Type:Senior Community Center

Size:47,200 square feet

Client:The Center at Belvedere

Collaborators:

Matthews Development (Owner’s Representative)
Barton Malow Company (General Contractor)
Lifespan Design Studio, LLC (Senior Center Design Consultant)
Circle Design Studio, LLC (Interior Design)
Pray Design Associates (Landscape Architect)
Dunbar, Milby, Williams, Pittman & Vaughn (Structural Engineer)
Staengl Engineering (MEP Engineer)
Timmons Group (Civil Engineer)
Randy Burkett Lighting Design (Lighting Design)
Acoustical Consulting Services (Acoustician)
Iconograph (Signage + Graphic Design)

Photography:Virginia Hamrick