Sustainable Moss Walls
A Natural Solution for Senior Living Communities
Feb 21, 2025
Beacon Hill Living, a high-end senior living community in Grand Rapids, MI, sought to enhance the well-being of its residents through a thoughtful, biophilic design approach. Partnering with R.O.I. Design, the facility incorporated custom Reindeer Moss Wall as a sustainable solution to elevate the interior environment. With 15 vibrant colors, the moss wall was designed to create a calming atmosphere, improve quality of life, and provide residents with a natural, visually engaging space that promotes relaxation and comfort.
Unique Challenges in Senior Living Design
Senior living communities face unique challenges that require thoughtful design solutions:
1. Lack of Natural Elements: Many senior living spaces suffer from a lack of biophilic design, leaving residents disconnected from nature. This absence of natural elements can contribute to heightened stress, anxiety, and hinder the recovery process for those with health concerns. Creating spaces that promote mental well-being is a priority in enhancing residents' quality of life.
2. Noise Interference: Noise pollution is another common issue in senior living communities. Spaces like dining areas, corridors, and activity rooms are prone to sound reflection and echoes, which can disrupt conversations and daily activities. For individuals with hearing sensitivity or conditions like Alzheimer’s, excessive noise can be detrimental to their health and sleep quality.
3. Traditional Greenery Maintenance: Live plants require constant care and upkeep, including watering, trimming, and fertilizing. For senior living facilities, this poses a challenge in terms of time and cost, especially for environments with restrictions on soil use or allergens. Moreover, the staff's focus on resident care makes managing plant upkeep difficult.
Design Innovation and Problem Solving
Five Ways Moss Walls Transform Senior Spaces
The preserved moss wall installation is a perfect fit for senior living spaces for several reasons:
Design Innovation and Problem Solving
Expanding the Benefits of Moss Walls in Senior Living
The Beacon Hill Living project illustrates how preserved moss walls can significantly enhance senior living environments. Beyond visual appeal, they offer critical benefits like noise reduction and low-maintenance solutions, making them an excellent choice for the health and comfort of senior residents. As the demand for eco-friendly, sustainable designs grows, moss walls can become a cornerstone of future senior living facility renovations.
Design Innovation and Problem Solving
1. Biophilic Design Benefits
By introducing natural elements through the moss walls, this design approach helps reduce stress, improve mood, and aid in rehabilitation. Nature has proven psychological benefits that contribute positively to mental health in seniors.
2. Acoustic Performance
With a high NRC rating of 0.9+, the Reindeer Moss Walls effectively absorb ambient noise, significantly reducing distractions and ensuring that spaces are quieter and more conducive to relaxation and communication. This helps protect hearing health and improves sleep quality, essential for residents, especially those with conditions like Alzheimer’s.
3. Low Maintenance
Unlike live plants, preserved moss requires no watering, trimming, or fertilizing. This makes it an ideal solution for environments where ongoing plant care is not feasible. The maintenance-free nature of moss walls ensures that senior communities can focus their resources on more important aspects of resident care.
4. Sensory Stimulation & Cognitive Support
The rich colors and textures of the moss walls stimulate visual senses and can be used as a guide for wayfinding. This provides cognitive support for seniors, helping them recognize different areas of the facility. The visually engaging design encourages interaction, which can foster socializing and positive emotional responses.
5. Mental Health & Well-being
The presence of colorful natural elements has been shown to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, common in older adults. Artful designs that evoke memories or inspire conversation also enhance social bonds, creating a more vibrant and interactive environment.
Beyond the Basics: Additional Moss Wall Advantages
1. Modular Design, Flexible Installation: Moss walls can be easily customized to fit various room sizes and layouts, making them versatile for different areas within the community, including dining rooms, hallways, and lounge spaces. The modular design allows for quick installation and flexibility to adapt to different design needs.
2. Soft Texture, Protective Qualities: The soft texture of the moss wall also provides an added layer of protection, making it a safe material for senior living environments, where safety and comfort are top priorities.
3. Eco-Friendly & Sustainable: The moss walls are made from natural, non-toxic materials and meet LEED and WELL certification standards, ensuring that they align with the environmental and health-conscious ethos of Beacon Hill Living. The sustainable, recycled nature of the product aligns with both ecological and corporate responsibility goals.
Design Innovation and Problem Solving
Conclusion
For senior living communities looking to create tranquil, healthy, and aesthetically pleasing environments, Reindeer Moss Walls offer a unique solution. These walls not only meet environmental and aesthetic standards but also provide tangible benefits for resident well-being, from acoustic optimization to emotional health. Transform your senior living facility with custom-designed moss walls that support both quality of life and sustainable design.
Beyond the Basics: Additional Moss Wall Advantages
1. Modular Design, Flexible Installation: Moss walls can be easily customized to fit various room sizes and layouts, making them versatile for different areas within the community, including dining rooms, hallways, and lounge spaces. The modular design allows for quick installation and flexibility to adapt to different design needs.
2. Soft Texture, Protective Qualities: The soft texture of the moss wall also provides an added layer of protection, making it a safe material for senior living environments, where safety and comfort are top priorities.
3. Eco-Friendly & Sustainable: The moss walls are made from natural, non-toxic materials and meet LEED and WELL certification standards, ensuring that they align with the environmental and health-conscious ethos of Beacon Hill Living. The sustainable, recycled nature of the product aligns with both ecological and corporate responsibility goals.
Design Innovation and Problem Solving
Expanding the Benefits of Moss Walls in Senior Living
The Beacon Hill Living project illustrates how preserved moss walls can significantly enhance senior living environments. Beyond visual appeal, they offer critical benefits like noise reduction and low-maintenance solutions, making them an excellent choice for the health and comfort of senior residents. As the demand for eco-friendly, sustainable designs grows, moss walls can become a cornerstone of future senior living facility renovations.