The Eastern Loudoun Respite Center Loudoun County, Virginia
As the “baby-boomer” generation grows older, the demand for facilities tailored to fit these individuals’ needs becomes greater. Loudoun County recognized the need for such facilities in the eastern portion of the county and called upon Kimley-Horn and Associates to assist with the design of the Eastern Loudoun Respite Center. The Center, an approximately 4,000-square-foot adult daycare facility, is situated on more than 70 acres of land in Ashburn, Va. along Riverside Parkway.
This project presented some interesting challenges. The site was formerly a stockpile fill area from the project that created Riverside Parkway. Extensive geotechnical research was conducted to place the footings of the building on solid earth that would support the structure for years to come. Another interesting challenge was created when the fill area formed steep slopes; these slopes had to be documented, and county ordinances would not allow any impact on these areas. Thus, the site design, which included situating the building, parking lot, drive aisles, wandering garden, and associated utilities, needed to be oriented in such way as to avoid disturbing the steep slopes.
For this type of project, the client is the end-user of this facility. Therefore, a priority for the design team, which included the architects at Gauthier, Alvarado, and Associates, along with civil engineers and landscape architects at Kimley-Horn, was to incorporate the client’s input and improve the efficiency of this new building for the visitors and staff. This teamwork provided the best design possible.
Consistent with many of the jurisdictions in the Northern Virginia area, sustainable design and LEED® accreditation are top priorities with any new project. Currently, this project is striving for a LEED® Silver Rating. While many of the credits needed to receive the Silver Rating will be achieved inside the building with innovative architectural design, Kimley-Horn found opportunities for credits to be realized outside of the building. With the use of pervious concrete and recycled materials, the project has a smaller impact on the environment and should achieve the Silver Rating.
