Senior centers have long been important resources for older adults and their families, but as baby boomers become senior citizens, the function of these centers must adapt to stay aligned with changing needs and expectations. The Inglewood Senior Center was designed to do exactly that. It introduces a progressive new model for senior services designed specifically to support the emotional, intellectual, social and physical wellness of today’s seniors.

The center has been a highly anticipated project for the City of Inglewood for more than 10 years after the previous center closed in 2005. More than just a building, it functions as a “home away from home” that is easily identifiable, creates a sense of place in the community, and reinvigorates a key part of the city. Across its 35,000 sf, it houses multipurpose rooms, kitchen and dining facilities, lounges, a computer lab, outdoor patios and special rooms for billiards, exercise and music. Serving as the hub for senior services in the greater Inglewood area, it also houses office space for several social services aimed at adults over 50.

The building was intentionally designed to reflect the sophisticated tastes of today’s seniors. In addition to being modern in its distinctive architecture, it includes a significant public art component anchored by two key elements: a sculptural collage that spans two floors of the main entrance celebrating the city’s history and its seniors, and exterior canopies featuring a large-scale perforated pattern of a tree.

With a tight budget and an aggressive schedule, the client brought on Pinner Construction to deliver the project using progressive design-build. As the architect, we worked alongside Pinner from start to finish of the project, ensuring we achieved schedule and budget goals even when the client accelerated the completion date by two months. This successful approach to project delivery went on to garner two prestigious awards from the Design-Build Institute of America Western Pacific chapter.

This 35,000 square-foot magnificent facility was completed on time and within budget. We have never had a project of this scope and magnitude completed within such an aggressive time frame.

James Butts, Jr., City of Inglewood Mayor