The ongoing multi-unit supportive residence will serve as a welcome addition to Community Living Cambridge’s campus. This single-storey, 20-unit supportive residence is set to begin construction in 2025, and will replace the existing residence on the Community Living Cambridge site. The new development will expand upon the campus’s current capacity, providing suites for 20 adults with varying developmental disabilities.

V+A’s primary goal for CLC has always been to create a home, rather than an institution. The massing design has been informed both by the constraints of the site on CLC’s property, as well as the formation of “house” clusters in which the residents are grouped into. Each “house” is comprised of four bachelor suites each with their own barrier-free ensuite bathrooms, that are oriented around a common living area, which is complete with a kitchenette and laundry room. All “houses” are accessed from a sunlit corridor that connects to the dining and administrative areas of the building. Significant emphasis on accessibility also drives the building’s design. All corridors are wide enough to accommodate two passing wheelchairs at any time.

This project’s client has expressed the desire for a highly energy efficient building since the the earliest phase of design. V+A’s team of engineers have worked to incorporate strategies to achieve a level of efficiency 25% better than the 2015 NECB, as per the requirement for CMHC Co-Investment Fund eligibility. Structural and mechanical systems, finishes and natural lighting have all been carefully considered to address the client’s desire for optimal energy efficiency, while still creating a unique identity for the proposed building.