Abstract

As suburban commercial landscapes continue to decline, underutilized strip malls present an opportunity to reimagine aging-supportive environments through adaptive reuse. This thesis investigates how these sites can be transformed into mixed-use senior housing and continuum-care campuses through adaptive reuse strategies. Using a comparative case study methodology, the research examines a range of precedents—including senior housing retrofits, dementia villages, and community-based mixed-use developments—to identify key spatial, programmatic, and environmental principles that support aging populations. A five-part evaluative framework assesses project performance across site integration and green space, social and intergenerational engagement, programmatic and service integration, mixed-use activation, and cognitive and environmental support. These criteria apply to selected case studies and are further substantiated through interviews with architects, professors, and senior living professionals. Findings indicate that successful adaptive reuse relies on flexible spatial organization, strong community connectivity, and evidence-based design integration. The proposed framework outlines strategies that respond to the growing demand for senior housing while advancing broader goals of suburban revitalization. The study concludes by defining design approaches that integrate architectural, planning, and age-inclusive principles to guide future suburban strip mall retrofits and senior care development.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Shopping malls--Remodeling for other use; Older people--Housing--Design and construction

Publication Date

12-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Architecture (M.Arch.)

Department, Program, or Center

Architecture, Department of

College

Golisano Institute for Sustainability

Advisor

Julius J. Chiavaroli

Advisor/Committee Member

Seth Holmes

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

ARCH-MARCH

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