The Canyons Retirement Facility is a continuing healthcare
community that offers varying levels of on-campus care,
helping adults transition from home to a safe and dignified
living environment. The project includes 40 assisted living
rooms, 20 memory care rooms, public restrooms, staff
areas, laundry facilities, community kitchens, libraries,
dining areas, and a detached administrative building.
The building’s layout has six wings, all connecting to
central common gathering spaces; dining, crafts, the
library and multi-use areas. Though a modular building,
the smart use of space makes it hard to tell, especially
while walking down a curved hallway that crosses
diagonally through five modules. The abundance of
woodwork and fine finishes go a long way to prove that
modular construction has come a long way from the
negative stigma of cheap manufactured homes.
The project broke ground in May 2016, the same
time production of the modules began, and opened
its doors one year from that date. Multiple modular
innovations allowed for the hastened upfront schedule.
Factory production and site preparation took place
simultaneously. Factory production of the 54 modules
(51 for the main building and three for an administrative
building) was completed in just 35 days. Eighteen roof
sections were built on the foundations (before modules
arrived onsite), then craned off the foundations to make
way for the modules to be set. The crane performed 90
picks over the 9 day install, with a total of 54 modules
installed and 36 roof crane picks.
A lot of developer’s turn to modular construction for
a cost savings. This project did look for the financial
benefits by way of speed to market but the main focus
for this project was the required high tolerances and
fine quality finishes. Great attention to detail coupled
with finishes like marble, custom wood work and
cabinetry have a major impact on the end user a critical
time in their life. Modular construction provides a way
to monitor quality and control it to meet that high bar.
This article originally appeared in the Modular Advantage Magazine - First Quarter 2018 released in February 2018.