Shraddha Karalkar

Third Place ($1,500) 

Shraddha Karalkar
West Valley College

Grade Level: 4th Semester
Category: Heal
Project: CuraBlu Assisted Living Facility

The objective of the project is to design several critical areas within the newly constructed assisted living facility in Austin, Texas. The facility will provide spaces for varying levels of personal and medical care. The overarching goal is to promote independence and offer a sense of security for both the resident and family. The CuraBlu (Healing Flower) Assisted Living Facility derives its name from the Bluebonnet flower – the official State Flower of Texas.  The designed space reflects the same essence through its interior & architectural elements as it takes the inspiration from Bluebonnet morphology – composed of roots, stem, leaf & petals. The organic character of plant morphology informs space planning. The designed space aims to cultivate the hope for an aging resident that comes from the word “CuraBlu” – a hope for healing and source of vitality- and seeks to incubate nurturing environment for rehabilitation, restoration, and connection through its design elements.