In 2018, Pond contracted with DeKalb County, through their existing five-year on-call contract, for design and CA services on the district 5 East DeKalb County Senior Center. The Senior Center is located on the Bruce Street Corridor and is a meaningful project for the community, due to its presence and the history of the site. The Senior Center is approximately 16,000 square feet and includes multi-purpose spaces, administration spaces, an arts and crafts room, a dance room, a full kitchen, a fitness room, library, and lounge. For the residents served by the new East DeKalb Community and Senior Center, the preservation of the community’s historical landscape was personal.

Pond’s team designed a 16,090-square-foot facility to create a modern space for residents while paying homage to the special character of the neighboring ruins. Centering around the user experience of seniors, the facility incorporates multiple gathering spaces that enhance well-being, reduce isolation, and promote socialization. The large multi-purpose dining room with a moveable partition wall and stage, expansive commercial kitchen, entertainment area, library, offices, and sundeck are key features of the design. To tie in the ruins, the design team used locally sourced Lithonia granite to clad the entry located opposite the historic school. This choice of materials and style juxtaposed against the contemporary elements accentuates the visual importance of the adjacent building.

The interface of the undulating rubble stonework and stone dressings match the historic structure, and the masonry units of the new provide a workable solution. Throughout the facility, symbolic elements gesture to the former school, heightening the connectivity between the two buildings. Achieving a clear contrast between new and old while ensuring a successful technical collaboration between materials is bound to present a dilemma that the Pond design team has successfully solved to create a facility that will become the hallmark of the community to be enjoyed for years to come.