William B. Rice Eventide Nursing Home - Quincy, MA

MSA has designed two courtyards around an addition to the William B. Rice Eventide Nursing Home. One courtyard is enclosed and will be used by residents with Alzheimer's disease. A crescent lawn is surrounded by planting beds filled with plants chosen for their fragrance and year round color and form. A path leading from the courtyard gate to the doorways includes seating nooks with benches, while a majestic beech tree graces this peaceful spot with dappled shade. The second courtyard, formed by the new addition, is designed to be viewed from within the building and from a walking path which encircles the building. A series of connected garden rooms formed by yew hedges makes the small, narrow space seem larger. A sculpture, placed in a "pool" of ivy and surrounded by birch trees fills the final "room" and draws the eye into the courtyard and provides a focal point. Vivid flower borders enhance each of the other garden rooms.