To Mather CEO Mary Leary, the organization’s newest lifeplan community in the Washington, D.C. market has an opportunity to redefine senior living wellness and lifestyle standards for a new generation of residents.
The community, built in a master-planned area in Tysons, Virginia, that includes a public park, spans two towers and conforms to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification standards.
Mixed into the glass modern design of The Mather are landscaped gardens and outdoor space that bring nature indoors. The community’s design also emphasizes daylight with the aim of improving residents’ circadian rhythms. The interior includes eucalyptus wood construction and a color palette mimicking dawn and dusk.
With a forward-thinking design that aims to promote wellness and independence, The Mather has been named the first place winner in the lifeplan category of the Senior Housing News Architecture and Design Awards.
The concept
The Mather brings wellness into “every aspect” of resident daily living, Leary said. The concept of preparing for future generations of active older adults initially drove the organization to embark on the ambitious development project over a decade ago.
The search for the community’s site started in 2012. By 2017, the organization had acquired its property in Virginia, followed by entitlement approvals in 2019, Leary added.At this stage, the organization teamed up with architectural firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz interior designer Studio 1-2-1 along with Bonnie Mason and began working on what would eventually become The Mather.
From the outset, the project team sought to bring nature and sustainability to the forefront while maintaining wellness principles.
“This is biophilic design and sustainable design to support living well and it was important for the design team and the developer to really make this a memorable, lasting place that’s a refuge,” said Principal at Solomon Cordwell Buenz Jim Curtin.
Studio 1-2-1 Principal Rachelle DeGeorge added, “In design we wanted soft dawn neutrals blending cool and warm color tones that transition into dusk with pops of citrine yellow and deep woods’ violets and peacock blues.”
The designers used metal finishes and eucalyptus wood throughout the community, amenity spaces to pay homage to a kaleidoscope of cultures represented in the bustling D.C. area.
The community was designed with six dining spaces, with names like the restaurant Tashi, Tibetan for good fortune. The community design also included spaces with names such as a health center called Kokua, Hawaiian for extending help without expecting anything in return; and a rooftop lounge dubbed Sora, which is Japanese for sky.
Amenity spaces were designed around a melange of multicultural influences. The designs took inspiration from Blue Zone concepts in addition to philosophies from Chinese medicine and Japanese dining.
“We wanted to focus on world cultures in our programs, interior design finishes, cuisine and art,” Leary said. “We were very intentional about that because we really wanted to be inclusive and attract folks who have lived all around the world while hopefully attracting a younger older adult than has been typically served by senior living.”
With an expansive green garden roof covering an underground stacked parking system, the community also ties into a nearby park with private resident outdoor space and connecting to public access points.
The construction
The community started construction in April 2022 after the organization secured $300 million in financing.
Even amid the pandemic, construction remained on schedule for amenity spaces and the residential buildings, Leary said.
On top of securing financing with 10 banks in a turbulent market, the project’s biggest challenge in construction came from supply chain hiccups due to the pandemic. That led design teams to use other, easier to source ingredients, such as switching from oak from Canada to eucalyptus wood. Still, the delays meant more time waiting on important parts of the complex underground parking structure.
“You can look at them as challenges, but we also see them as refinements,” Curtin said.
Metal and wood finishes with upscale appliances, plus flexibility in unit concepts helped bring forward customization for new residents. High gloss door panels that were painted and stained blended into dining and bathroom areas of the unit’s modern feel, according to DeGeorge. Floor-to-ceiling windows in amenity spaces and apartments also helped bring natural light into the community.
“We created four pallets with warm and cool and contemporary features in mind,” DeGeorge said.
Across the community, nearly 300 unique pieces of art fill public and private spaces including sculptures, custom glass lighting or woven tapestries and murals. Construction remained on budget and was finished on schedule, Leary noted.
The completion
The community’s first, 181-apartment home tower opened in March of last year and the second, 112-unit tower opened in September 2024. An additional space for memory care and skilled nursing will open later this spring, Leary said.
The community was pre-sold 70% before construction started and fast forward, The Mather is 90% sold and 76% occupied.
A testament to forward-looking design, Leary highlighted how approximately 75% of current residents are from the Baby Boomer or Generation X cohorts. Additionally, 25% of residents living in the community are from other countries.
“It’s quite unique and it’s typically very difficult to achieve that in senior living so that’s been one of the most exciting aspects for me to see when I visited,” Leary said. “When we envisioned this project, we wanted to attract the next generation of older adults and it’s been very well-received.”
She added, “The boomers and Gen Xer’s have arrived.”
Programming includes mindful art classes of Kintsugi, the Japanese practice of repairing broken pottery with gold or creating intricate circular mandalas. Residents can go for a “Symphony Swim” in the heated saltwater pool with candlelight and a live cellist or use the infrared sauna and “Breath Lounge” for residents to relax after spending time on the Nepali-inspired Saam Terrace.
Residents are encouraged to take part in health-forward practices such as shojin ryori, a Japanese practice of cooking with ingredients bringing five colors or flavors; or hara hachi bu, another Japanese concept of eating until you are just 80% full.
While walking through the building, Curtin said he saw how energized, engaged and happy residents were, participating in programming or enjoying outdoor spaces and using the various wellness and dining areas.
“A sign of a successful community is that you walk into it and you are immediately confronted with a plethora of spaces that allow people to mix and engage and they’re thriving,” Curtin said.
SHN Architecture and Design Award judge Greg Gauthreaux said The Mather demonstrated “impressive architectural impact with thoughtful integration of outdoor community spaces,” contrasted with “vibrant and nicely curated” interior design elements.
