We recognized over two years ago that families, wishing to stay together, share expenses, reponsibilities, and even critical care needs, needed an exceptional multi-generational solution. A dwelling where all family members could have unique living spaces, customized by generation, privacy, accessibility, and lifestyle – under the same roof or on the same lot.

Our journey with the Massey Family began this past July, when we meet with Honey and Bud who were visiting from Ohio. We meet with the family and they shared with us their vision for a well-designed, sustainable, healthy multigenerational home.

We have been documenting the process and collecting stories from the various generations. We hope that you will follow the Massey familiy’s journey as their dream is realized.

If you would like to keep up with the project please subscribe to our blog!

- Carrie and Josh

the Value of Planning (read more about this project http://www.larsonshoresarch.com/projects/190-temelec.html )

There are a lot of ways we can define ourselves, but when it comes to planning for the future we seem to fall into one of two categories: planners or procrastinators. Planners are few and far between, but us procrastinators (yes I am among them) are not hard to find.

The aging process begins from the moment we are born and we look forward to growing older, playing dress up, getting our drivers license, and establishing our own identities.  But then at some point the idea of growing older and the energy we put into planning for it stops.

AARP reports that 89% of people want to age in their own home, but wanting to stay in your home and planning to make that a reality are two very different things.   When we began researching what options were out there to support aging we started to understand why people were avoiding this – a lot of the options were institutional, cold, and sometimes embarrassing.  While these temporary metal ramps and grab bars came out of a good place, creating a safer home, they can serve as an ugly reminder that you are going through a change that you aren’t prepared to face.

We believe you can design your home to be safe as well as beautiful – if that is the case would you start thinking about leaving the procrastinator world and making some plans?

A Procrastinators Bathroom

The practice of researching words came to mind as my partner and I began the launch of our new division ASAP (Architectural Solutions for the Aging Population). In  trying to articulate some ideas about retirement, based on some interviews we had done , the definitions of retirement were so at odds with conversations we were having with ‘retirees’ that we decided to explore the origin of the word RETIRE.

First the definition: 1) to withdraw from action or danger : retreat,  2)  to withdraw especially for privacy <retired to her room> , 3) to move back : recede, 4) to withdraw from one’s position or occupation : conclude one’s working or professional career, 5) to go to bed

Now the word root: retire: 1530s, of armies, “to retreat,” from M.Fr. retirer “to withdraw (something),” from re- “back” (see re-) + O.Fr. tirer “to draw” (see tirade). Meaning “to withdraw to some place for the sake of seclusion” is recorded from 1530s; sense of “leave an occupation” first attested 1640s (implied in retirement). Meaning “to leave company and go to bed” is from 1660s.

To leave a company and go to bed?!? Perhaps in 1640 when the life expectancy was 35 years old and you worked until you actually had to go to bed that phrase was appropriate.  But today, turning 65 looks a lot different today than it used to; people are starting their second or third career, running marathons and chasing grandchildren around.

That leaves us with the question: if the definition of retirement is so off, is the architecture that supports retirees and their families equally disconnected? From our research it is and we want to help change that landscape.  Our hope is that this blog can be a conversation to help us understand what are the needs of retiring baby boomers and how  can we empower them to live the life they want.