Clearwater Newport Beach is located on roughly 1.5 acres near the northern border of Newport Beach.  The community is efficiently designed with 84,465 square feet and 101 units (70 AL / 31 MC) in 3 stories over subterranean parking.  Despite a zoning restriction capping the building height at 45’-0”, Clearwater and the design team were able to maintain comfortable ceiling heights throughout, with an emphasis on the first-floor common areas maintaining a clear ceiling height of 10’-6” to 11’-0”.

The project and interior design draw inspiration from both modern, state-of-the-art developments and renowned, long-standing staples of Newport Beach.  The building footprint is a doughnut shape anchored by its central courtyard.  Pulling design inspiration from the Restoration Hardware building in Chicago, the courtyard is centered by a fountain, with a chandelier above and flanked by four olive trees in lifted planters, an outdoor bar, and a combination of soft seating and outdoor dining spaces.  This central courtyard can be directly access through 3 of the community’s 6 dining venues, the game room, and the lobby, providing residents with an immersive indoor/outdoor living experience.  The remaining Assisted Living common area spaces are located on the lower level.  As a means of bringing natural light to all common area spaces (except for the theater), recessed courtyard spaces were created outside of the fitness center, creative studio, and salon to function as lightwells for the lower level.

Assisted Living unit sizes provide residents a wide variety of unit types to choose from, with a range of 360 square foot studios to 975 square foot 2-bedroom units.  In an effort to maximize the efficiency of the smaller studio units, Clearwater designed a built-in media center and kitchenette.  Pulling inspiration from hotel rooms, these built-ins are centered by a wall-mounted TV above a workspace.  On either side, residents are provided with a sink, two undercounter refrigerators, and a substantial amount of counter space, lower and upper cabinets, and lighted shelving.  Not only is this design feature unique in senior housing, but it also provides residents with a substantial increase in closet space where a typical kitchenette would be located.