On the Boards: Benefis Health System, Healthy Aging Center

Benefis Health System’s new Healthy Aging Center will be a 15,547 sq. ft. building designed to provide inclusive, accessible spaces that enhance the quality of life for seniors seeking specialists and healthcare services to maintain healthy aging and promote continued independence.

The overall design and site circulation offers a convenient patient experience. Upon entering, patients will be greeted with a reception area and grand lobby that features an abundance of natural light and comfortable, flexible furnishings. Tiered accent lighting installations, modern acoustical accents, murals, and artwork bring warmth and interest to the space and are all inspired by the surrounding natural environment of Great Falls, including the Missouri River, its five waterfalls, and wilderness areas.

The Health Aging Center will provide physical therapy and gym spaces along with spacious exam rooms, classrooms, provider offices, staff breakroom, nurse workstations, lab space, and a modern grab-and-go pre-prepared meal area. The design of the facility celebrates wellness through being active outside with the inclusion of open-air physical therapy rooms and flexible patio spaces.

The center’s exterior design blends into the existing Benefis campus with roof lines that express an agricultural aesthetic, drawing inspiration from early homesteads and family farms in the area. This is also seen in the general building massing and has become the driving concept for the architectural design. The use of stacked stone, real-wood siding, and expansive glazing in the main lobby give the building a warm and inviting feel, while still maintaining a clean, modern aesthetic appropriate in a healthcare setting.