Situated between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Atlanta, Georgia, The Wescott blends luxury living with a locally inspired look and feel for active adult residents.
Designed by Foley Design and Associates and managed by Meridian Group, the 120-unit active adult community in Canton, Georgia, meshes with the local downtown district to offer unique views and experiences for the residents. The community specifically celebrates the heritage of Canton with a decorated historical art wall emphasizing the town’s coal mining past, textile mills and history.
Meridian, which also developed and built the community, is a longtime Canton business that helped integrate The Wescott into the surrounding area. Interior designer The Interior Studio focused on tying into the local surrounding community, and the entire building ties outdoor elements throughout the building seamlessly.
The Wescott’s design, coupled with how it integrates into the local community, earned it the the top spot in the active adult category of 2024 Senior Housing News’ Architecture and Design Awards.
The concept
Project planners with Foley Design sought to create a “welcoming and sophisticated” vibe by using a variety of textures, finishing and colors in their design.
The community is located in a commercial corridor with a “limited variety of design influence for a residential building,” but there was plenty of brick cladding and contemporary and transitional detailing used in the surrounding buildings to pull from, the project planners noted.
Foley Design and team also took inspiration from other high-end residential communities such as Village Park Alpharetta in Alpharetta, Georgia; Elle of Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia; and La Grange Luxury Apartments in La Grange, Illinois.
For the interior, the goal was to create a “similar historic town feel” with colors, finishes and materials found in the surrounding community, including dark colors and stone.
That extended to the interior design. For example, photos included in the community’s design documents show teal chair by a fireplace, orange accent walls and spacious leather couches.
The designers also used metal in lighting and furnishings. Community spaces include a professional hospitality kitchenette with a stainless steel countertop and asymmetrical bookshelf, tiled frameless showers, private patios and decorative wall panels in each unit.
The community’s main area was designed to be welcoming to all who enter. To achieve that, the designers focused on creating a spacious lounge area with a hotel-like reception desk, porcelain tile floor resembling terrazzo, two stories of atrium space with an acoustical suspended baffle system and a mix of contemporary and historical photography. Additionally, residents can take advantage of the adjoining pet spa and 24/7 mail room.
The designers also sought to cater to active residents still participating in a multitude of activities and hobbies. To appeal to a crowd that wants to “gather, connect [and] play,” the project planners built into the design a resort style pool, full kitchen with beer tap system and restrooms with showers. Other design elements helping to create a more active community include “stylish” furnishings, a shuffleboard table, televisions, family-style dining spaces and unique touches like accent carpets and windows with abundant natural light.
They also designed a fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment meant to support resident fitness goals and encourage an active and healthy lifestyle. The center itself is designed to energize with bold paint colors and inspiring graphics. The community also is located near a park with a waterfront for kayaking and sightseeing.
Among the community’s spaces are a sky lounge with a rooftop patio overlooking the pool and the courtyard alongside a fully equipped kitchen with beer tap system and dining tables meant for community building. The lounge is all brought together with views of the Blue Ridge landscape and historical Canton water tower and bold colors and stylish patterns and silhouettes.
The project team designed the community’s four flours with different colors to enliven the design and help residents find their way. Each unit also features accent colors and decorative light fixtures. The community’s corridors carry different artwork themes, and the project team also utilized the same carpet tile on all floors, each with different accent colors to provide a customized feel throughout the building.
The construction
The Wescott was officially completed Jan. 1, 2023 and consists of 167,863 square feet total, spanning four floors.
The project was built by Meridian Development & Construction Services, Inc.
A total dollar amount for the project was not provided in the community’s submission information.
The completion
Now open and operating, the project planners believe The Wescott is “a testament to innovative architectural design, seamlessly integrating luxury, convenience, and natural beauty.”
“Every detail is meticulously crafted to enhance daily life,” they noted in their award submission documents.
Residents of the community can mingle in spaces such as card rooms, spaces for book clubs, a cabana with a resort-style pool and a lounge with an array of seating and decor. The end design also includes a pet spa on the first floor for residents’ furry companions.
Senior Housing News Design Award Judges were particularly impressed how the project planners distributed amenities throughout the community. Judge and Associate Principal of Perkins Eastman Greg Gauthreaux noted that the building and sky lounge “make great use of incredible views and outdoor spaces.”
Judge and Senior Project Design and Implementation Manager of SitelogIQ Ric D’Amico noted he was particularly impressed with how the community stands apart from typical age-restricted housing with a contemporary design. He added the project team “gets living young.”
