Ivy Senior Apartments

Ivy Senior Apartments exemplify that human-purposed and high-quality design should be accessible to all. The project aims to address the high rate of homelessness in the San Diego area and specifically respond to the challenges unhoused senior citizens can face while navigating permanent housing, careers, and support services by providing beautiful, high-performance, and supportive homes. Design and materiality for Ivy Senior Apartments were guided by trauma-informed strategies to support residents’ transition from past living situations to permanent, stable housing. Establishing transparency and clarity in spaces was essential to creating a welcoming and comfortable home environment. A dynamic façade features eight-foot glass windows and introduces daylighting into the courtyard and interior spaces. The design team also conducted color research studies which guided the design’s color palette and signage, enhancing wayfinding and accessibility for individuals with color-blindness. Ivy Senior Apartments demonstrate how sustainable and cost-effective design can hold an important role in achieving funding and advancing organizational missions. The facility operates as an all-electric facility, implements a high percentage of vegetation and native landscaping to establish bio-retention areas, and qualifies for Greenpoint Gold Certification.