Designing dignity into everyday life. This case study of an affordable housing project shows how thoughtful choices deliver measurable impacts of design on comfort, health, and quality of life — a clear example of DIAC’s Design Impacts Framework.
ERA Architects – Ken Soble Tower
Client: City Housing Hamilton
Architect: ERA Architects
Designer: Carolina Streber
Project Completion: 2015-2021
Target audience: Seniors in need of affordable housing
Info@eraarch.ca eraarch.ca Instagram: eraarch
ERA Architects is a Toronto-based architecture and heritage practice specializing in adaptive reuse, affordable housing, and community-focused projects that strengthen cultural and social resilience. Founded in 1990, the firm is recognized for its expertise in conservation, sustainability, and neighborhood revitalization, with a collaborative approach that integrates research, advocacy, and design excellence.
3 key points
Holistic Senior-Centered Design & Aging in Place:
The retrofit focused on creating high-quality, barrier-free, and accessible housing for seniors, emphasizing independence, comfort, safety, and dignity. Design strategies incorporated cognitive-informed layouts, wayfinding, lighting, thermal comfort, and social spaces, informed directly by resident input, supporting both physical and mental well-being.
Resident Engagement & Customization:
Seniors were actively consulted to shape their living environment, from leisure spaces and floor layouts to kitchen design and thermal comfort. Features like easy-to-operate triple-pane windows, high-contrast finishes, and ergonomically designed common areas directly addressed residents’ daily routines, physical capabilities, and social needs.
Community, Well-being & Social Connection:
The design fosters a tight-knit, interactive senior community through thoughtfully planned common areas, terraces, patios, and solariums that encourage socialization while maintaining privacy. The building’s lighting, wayfinding, and spatial organization promote mental health, safety, and a sense of dignity, supporting residents across the spectrum of aging.
ERA Architects, 2021
The DIAC Design Impact Framework centers around five key themes:
1. VISION: Design embodies the vision
How does the design of the Ken Soble Tower reflect its core vision while supporting seniors’ needs, sustainability, equity, and long-term livability?
The project’s vision centers on creating a supportive, people-centered environment that enhances the daily lives of senior residents. By retrofitting the existing building with barrier-free suites, accessible communal spaces, and outdoor terraces, the Ken Soble Tower promotes independence, social connection, and comfort while supporting aging in place. Thoughtful design choices—from Passive House energy efficiency to heritage preservation informed principles—ensure residents enjoy a safe, healthy, and dignified living environment, bringing lasting value to Hamilton’s senior community.
2. FUNCTIONALITY: Design enhances functionality
How do the spatial layouts, suite designs, and communal areas of the Ken Soble Tower support seniors’ independence, comfort, and daily routines while enhancing functionality, dignity, and accessibility?
The Ken Soble Tower’s layouts, suite designs, and communal areas support seniors’ independence, comfort, and daily routines by optimizing accessibility and thermal comfort. Upgraded mechanical systems provide fresh air, individualized temperature control, and resilience during power outages. Resident feedback confirms the design enhances functionality, dignity, and overall quality of life while maintaining low energy use.
3. BRAND: Design creates brand
How does the design of the Ken Soble Tower reflect ERA Architects’ values while fostering care, pride, and dignity for senior residents?
The Ken Soble Tower embodies ERA Architects’ values by prioritizing people-centered, socially responsible design that supports seniors’ independence and dignity. Barrier-free layouts, wayfinding, high-contrast finishes, and cognitively informed kitchens enhance comfort and daily routines, while durable materials and practical maintenance solutions reinforce care and pride. The project also demonstrates ERA’s commitment to equity and long-term community impact through aging-in-place strategies and inclusive social housing design.
4. ENVIRONMENT: Design embeds environmental benefits
How do the Ken Soble Tower’s orientation, layout, and urban context, along with environmental strategies like energy efficiency, daylighting, and indoor air quality, enhance comfort, safety, accessibility, and overall well-being for senior residents?
The Ken Soble Tower’s orientation, layout, and connection to its urban context maximize safety, accessibility, and social interaction for seniors while taking advantage of mature landscaping, public transit, and communal gathering spaces. As a deep retrofit project, it explored multiple strategies to optimize the exisiting structure and orientation, amplifying these impacts and extending the buildings life. Environmental strategies—including Passive House energy efficiency, daylighting, airtight construction, and careful attention to indoor air quality—ensure comfort, well-being, and long-term sustainability for residents.
5. HEALTH & WELLBEING: Design promotes health and wellbeing
How does the Ken Soble Tower’s design create spaces that promote seniors’ health, comfort, and dignity while using elements like lighting, wayfinding, and flooring to reduce stress, prevent accidents, and support safety?
The Ken Soble Tower’s design prioritizes seniors’ health, comfort, and dignity by providing quality, accessible spaces that support aging in place and mental well-being. Thoughtful elements such as lighting, wayfinding, flooring, textures, and large, accessible washrooms reduce stress, prevent accidents, and enhance safety, while customizable thermal comfort, fresh air, pleasant views, and interactive common areas foster a vibrant, connected, and empowered senior community.
6. Key Success Performance Indicators
Post-occupancy studies and resident feedback have been used to verify system performance, fine-tune thermal comfort, and ensure all building functions meet seniors’ needs, providing critical validation for high-performance design. Residents report high satisfaction with the building’s thoughtful design, which directly enhances daily comfort, independence, and quality of life. Well-equipped suite washrooms with grab bars, quality plumbing fixtures, and durable finishes support safety and accessibility, while kitchens feature resilient materials and modern, easy-to-use appliances. Additional touches such as ceiling fans improve comfort, and communal amenities like the Penthouse Solarium create opportunities for relaxation and social connection—famously exemplified by one resident’s daily ritual of walking her cat on a leash.
