Located in Fort Worth, Texas, Columbia Renaissance Square is a community devoted to easing the stresses of its residents. Employing sustainable building materials, as well as ecological and health-focused design elements, the development not only provides safer living conditions for its residents, it also delivers an affordable space to live for low-income residents thanks to energy efficient features.
Plentiful outdoor spaces provide a calming environment for residents to stay active and be social. The pictured residential courtyard serves as a buffer between the building and the parking lot, with articulated CMU landscape walls to filter noise and cars while at the same providing privacy for residents and maintaining a safe and comfortable space for their morning and evening strolls. The pavilion shown offers covered sitting to residents.
It’s most recent addition, the Columbia Renaissance Square Senior Residences, offers similar affordable living spaces catered to residents 62 and over. Developer Columbia Residential tapped into the expertise of JHP Architecture to design this most recent addition and worked in partnership with nonprofit consulting firm Purpose Built Communities to meet the community’s overarching goal in promoting community wellness through a rich network of community and support services.
Built to Meet the National Green Building Standard
Built with the purpose of achieving the National Green Building Standard certification, the Senior Residences are crafted with quality, sustainable materials that provide increased energy efficiency, better indoor air quality, and lower energy costs. All throughout, the building employs green label carpet, low-VOC paint and sealant, and thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) roofing that is high on the reflectance index, so residences can stay cool amidst the Texas heat.
In addition, water sense plumbing fixtures and Low-E lighting fixtures are used throughout all the units and building. As such, one- and two-bedroom units are oriented to provide an inviting, safe environment for older adults.
The residences offer senior-friendly unit layouts, such as grab bars in the bathrooms. Transitional unit finishes convey a modern, yet age-appropriate feel, including proper lighting output and low maintenance finishes that are important for the demographic.
Open floor plans offer full-size kitchens, separate dining areas and soaring 9-foot ceilings. Units also include Energy Star appliances as well as ceramic tile in bathrooms, vinyl plank flooring in living areas, and 42-inch cabinets with an espresso finish in kitchen spaces.
Interiors were designed by Holt Interiors for both the multifamily and senior amenity areas. Embracing the earth tones and natural textures of the surrounding environment, the overall color schemes, fabrics, artwork and accessories were all selected with Texas in mind. Community features available to residents include a fitness center, wellness room, catering kitchen and community clubhouse. In addition, a business center provides Wi-Fi and computers and a special theater room offers movie screenings. Columbia Renaissance Square Senior Residences includes tree-lined pathways for walking and bicycling, a landscaped gazebo, and a paved courtyard.
Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister site Environments for Aging.
