LifeSphere/Maple Knoll Village Cincinnati, OH
PROJECT CATEGORY New Construction (completed May 2002)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR Jerry D. Smart, President/CEO, (513) 782-2400
FIRM Beckwith Chapman Associates, Inc., (513) 523-1103
DESIGN TEAM Margarette Beckwith, Principal; Jeffrey Hodgson, Project Designer/Landscape Architect; John Blake, Architectural Coordinator (Beckwith Chapman Associates, Inc.); Tom Helsinger, Landscape Group Manager; Kim Henley, Project Construction Manager (Viox Services, Inc.)
PHOTOGRAPHY/illustration Jeff Hodgson; Dee Smart
BED CAPACITY N/A
TOTAL AREA (SQ. FT.) 43,200
TOTAL COST (EXCLUDING LAND) Not released
Maple Knoll Village is committed to the philosophy of the Eden Alternative, which advocates contact with children, plants and animals to relieve boredom. With the goal of developing outdoor spaces that are safe, accessible, stimulating, restorative and relaxing, the designers created three adjacent gardens integrating features that provide the greatest therapeutic benefit: enclosure, water, plants and accessibility.
The three gardens are the Memory Garden for individuals with dementia, the Children’s Garden for the on-site Montessori preschool and the Enabling Garden for horticultural therapy programs. A new elevator installed solely for transport to the Memory Garden allows access from the upper-floor dementia unit. The wandering path links numerous garden experiences, including an overlook to the Children’s Garden, raised planters containing sensory plants, a fountain, sculpture, a pond, a vine-covered pergola, a bird and butterfly garden, and a grotto. Benches are located along the path and under the pergola for rest and relaxation. Birds, butterflies and koi in the pond all enliven the space
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The Enabling Garden offers raised planters at standing and seated heights, plus wheelchair-accessible planters, for universal access to gardening activities. The proximity to the Children’s Garden and the accessible potting shed located between the gardens enhances the opportunities for intergenerational horticultural programs. The Children’s Garden is designed to be viewed by residents from the upper-story rooms and from the other gardens; it also nurtures a child’s love of high activity and learning
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