06/06/2026
"We got to work with a very specific demographic that we haven't gotten to design for."
Through SFCS Architects’ ongoing collaboration with Virginia Tech Industrial Design, students stepped outside of the classroom and into Warm Hearth Village by working directly with residents to understand the opportunities and challenges they experience every day.
Design becomes more thoughtful, more grounded, and more impactful because the people it’s meant to serve are part of the process. “The most helpful thing in coming up with ideas were the interviews and getting real feedback,” one student shared.
For SFCS, listening, partnership, and real-world perspective is at the core of how we approach architecture and design in senior living. By connecting students with elders, we’re helping shape a future workforce that understands design as both a technical discipline and a human-centered responsibility.
