When Louis Sullivan coined the term “form follows function” in 1896 he could not have been thinking of these recently constructed “senior apartments” – though the structure aptly illustrates his observation.

The form of this building makes abundantly clear its function: the warehousing of elderly people.   Looking more like monthly storage units than a retirement community, the facade of this complex is dominated by a repetitious series of garage doors facing a sea of concrete.  “Senior apartment” wings extend behind the garages; pitched roofs with overhanging eaves and ginormous fascias visually crush them.  Lone patches of lawn fill the spaces between sidewalks and parking and are manicured in a manner as utilitarian as that of the storage units “senior apartments”.

Would you like to spend your final days here?

 

Just in case you might have thought about renting a space to store your excess stuff, a sign is here to remind you that these are “Estates”.

 

Note the tragic, lone, planter next to the open garage door which is attempting to humanize this landscape.  The dumpster also reinforces the “Estate” atmosphere.

 

Does this fascia make my roof look fat?    There’s nothing like a series of numbered, bright white, garage doors to  convey the concept of a genuine estate any better…

 

But, wait… there’s more!

 

 

And now, what you have surely been waiting for: some views of the interior:

 

The nursing-home style handrails and random quotes painted on the walls are nice estate-like touches, don’t you think?  The fluorescent lighting doesn’t make this place look like Senior Storage, does it?

 

Nary a wall hanging to be found; just painted-on inspirational quotations at frequent intervals along the sheetrock-lined spaces.

 

Are you not inspired?!!?!?!!?

 

This looks like a good place to sit down for a spell.

 

Just like home…

 

…and just as cheerful!  Bet you can’t guess where the sheetrock seams are!

 

In contrast, more thought and care went into these landscaped and brick-clad rental storage units than the “Estates” for seniors!

 

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