OASIS Senior Center: Sustainable & Universal Design

By Yuko Uto & Veronica Montes

OASIS Newport Beach in California, LEED Sliver Certified senior center facility, was built in 2010.   We were attracted and intrigued by its sustainable concept and the subtle application of universal design.  Our first impression, admiring the entrance with its modern Architecture and serene landscaping, was that this center was more of a social club than a traditional Senior Center.  

According to Ms.Celeste Jardine-Haug, Senior Service Manager of OASIS, the vision for this facility is to create an atmosphere to stimulate active older adults with many educational, recreational, cultural, and social services, helping them live an enriched, active and independent life in a contemporary and inspiring environment with a traditional feel.   The seniors and the Friends of OASIS, the non-profit organization that provides both financial and volunteer support to the center all participated in OASIS’s 36,500 SF space planning process.

The designers of OASIS, Robert R. Coffee Architect +Associates, are known for their practice on designing and planning public buildings.  They believe a public building is a statement about the people and the community and/or organization it serves.  They strongly believe that well-conceived environments enhance the efforts of businesses, organizations and individuals to reach their goals and to live happy and fulfilling lives. 

At the entrance, you will see beautiful horizontal lined exterior wall which is recycled concrete called Artisan® Lap siding from JAMES HARDIE COMPANY. The siding creates deeply defined shadow lines for a premium aesthetic.  Additionally, their patented DuraTech™ technology provides superior structural integrity and wet, humid and cold climates, wind, hail, insect and fire frame-resistance.  JAMES HARDIE’s unique tongue and groove design means tighter tolerances for a precise fit and finish.   Durability, non-combustibility and less need for paint, all of these are important factors in green building.

At the central courtyard, you find monolithic Cordova Shell limestone columns (Thinset Stone Tile TEXAS CUT STONE INC).  This rough textured and characteristic cream colored limestone compliments the organic inspired senior center. The finish is smooth. Many void shell fossils are showing.  The voids are not filled and the color variations are minor. Carvings are not perfectly clean using this stone but in this case that is not an objection.  The same material is found at the family room fireplace, connecting the outdoors with the indoors.

When you enter the administration office, you will find light green carpet tile which is beautifully installed in quarter turn.  The corded chain stitch carpet tiles which are manufactured by Shaw Industries, are made of Eco SolutionQ® Nylon with backing Ecoworx® as fiber, multi-level pattern loop as its construction, and 92% solution dyed and 8% yarn dyed method.  This is 100% recyclable sustainable material.

At the fitness center, Rubber Floor tiles were used for the flooring, in beige (I62) and green (I10) colors. (RANFLEX SPORT FLOORING/MONDOSPORT I).   This is a pressed homogenous vinyl flooring with an embossed opaque and non-slip surface, special for gyms.  It has an adhesive installation on a subfloor.  Polyurethanes are the single most versatile family of polymers there is.  It is a pre-manufactured product; this means product uniformity is guaranteed reducing recycled waste, and it has also high durability.

At the classrooms, Vinyl flooring was chosen, on Dove grey (2621) and Rosato (3120) colors.  FORBOFLOORING SYSTEMS/MARMOLEUMReal. This company takes care of the environment from an ergonomic, economical and ecological point of view. Life-cycle analyses (LCAs) are applied to quantify the potential environmental impacts of the product system over the lifecycle.  The results of an LCA of a number of floor coverings rank Marmoleum first as a nature-friendly floor covering. In addition, Marmoleum earned an honorable mention for its long lifespan.

At the art room, you will find cardboard solidz panel base cabinets which are manufactured by FORMICA  on four of three sides of the classroom walls.  The base cabinets have beige Corian® as their countertops which are  made by DU PONT.  Both panels and countertops are recyclable materials.  This Corian® has been certified by Scientific Certification Systems to contain 20% pre-consumer recycled content. Since Corian® is durable, long lasting, easy to clean with soap and water or water based cleaner, heat resist, and Class1(A) fire rated, and doesn’t grow mold and mildew, it has unlimited way of use in variety of colors and design, for such as interior walls, partitions, furniture, sink etc.

The restrooms had installed an organic textured wallcovering by LANARK/ loom , contrasting the smoothness of the ceramic tiles, creating a warmer ambient to the space. This is a type II vinyl wallcovering with 100% recycled polyester non-woven.   This conventional vinyl wallcovering had to get a high quality perforation and proper installation on a permeable wall surface in order to increase its permeability.

The universal design and sustainable concept is present all over the place and in every detail, even in the furnishing.  Steel Stools from HERTZ FURNITURE SYSTEMS  are used in the classrooms. 20 gauge die-formed steel seat fully curled edges for strength and safety.  Legs are seam-welded for superior strength and durability.  The seat size is an ample 14 inches in diameter and it has adjustable-height.  Foot rings are welded to each leg at four points for extreme durability.  They have MAS Certified LEED & CHPS, green certification special for schools.

There are many outdoor lounge chairs in the central garden where people gather for a break Those chairs are designed not only for universal design with stable four legs and two arms, but also for green design by OUTDOOR DESIGN STUDIO. The frames are made by recycled plastic lumber and joined in OUTDOOR DESIGN STUDIO trademark method of furniture construction “mortise and tenon” and all fastening utilizes marine grade stainless steel hardware, leaving no compromise to excellence.