Case Study: Housing

Merrill Gardens at the University

Uniting an intergenerational community by design

Merrill Gardens at the University and Corydon Apartments is an award-winning intergenerational community located just north of Seattle's University Village and the University of Washington. We designed the full-block development to overcome the "isolation by age" that both seniors and students experience in separate traditional housing developments; Merrill Gardens combines senior housing with market-rate apartments and retail space for a multigenerational living experience. The context, program and topography were both constraints and opportunities for this project. Retail shops, restaurants and apartments are situated along the busy arterials, while the assisted living units lie along the quieter residential streets. A large courtyard serves as an outdoor living room for the entire community, hosting a variety of social events for all residents. In addition to grand communal space, each apartment has a patio or deck overlooking the landscaped grounds and courtyard. The result is an intimate community within the larger neighborhood community that is a unique testament to intergenerational living.