This project is a study in
reuse and adaptation, through discrete moments of augmentation, at an existing
nursing facility in Los Angeles. A architecture is deployed to heal the Patient,
the Planet and Society. New pockets of nature are introduced to reduce heat
gain and to provide a platform for therapeutic gardening activities. New
programmatic elements like a library for the young and an outdoor playground
encourage intergenerational interface. Instead of starting over, the
renovations at Virgil Skilled Nursing Center comprise a new way to think about
the aged and aging architecture.