WELLSPRING HOSPICE OF BOULDER

Project Type: Design Competition

Role: Design/Architect

Location: Boulder County, Colorado

Project description: Wellspring is located just outside of Boulder, Colorado, USA, and is situated along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. It is a peaceful site with views of the locally beloved Flatiron Mountains and yet is centrally situated and easily accessible to the greater Denver area. The location off of an existing wetlands pond is designed to comfort the occupants with radiant heating and cooling systems. Water is pumped in from the neighboring pond to passively cool in the summer, and is heated in the winter. The water is also used as a feature of the design with multiple pools and fountains located across the site. As water is universal to our existence, Wellspring utilizes these elements to express the cyclic nature of our lives while creating moments for reflection.

The East entry promenade grotto fountain greets visitors upon arrival and acts as a wayfinding tool by visual and acoustical cues. As occupants circulate through the building, the lower level reveals the grotto cave, a space where one has the freedom to contemplate the beauty of the present moment.

The building and spaces embody the nature of embracing change. As the rain falls on the mountain, it collects into streams, merging into rivers as it makes it way to the lakes and ocean, only to evaporate and become rain again. Renewed; we do not die, we are transformed.

This facility is to be a refuge for those who wish to enjoy amenities they may not have in their homes during their final months. While also focusing on the wellbeing of the care-takers by providing a place for rejuvenation through the gym/spa, on call massage, and bioenergetics rooms for physical tension release.

The Wellspring Hospice facility programing and square footages are based on accommodations for hospice clients as well as their visiting friends and family. One client may have 2 to 5 visitors at any given time and up to 12+ visitors depending on the type of visit, which may be a celebration or end of life party, which are becoming more common. Ample indoor and outdoor spaces ensure that hospice clients can bring as many companions as they wish, while amenities throughout the center create an enjoyable experience that allow for recreation to keep companions and clients entertained and relaxed.