Awards Received

• Contemporary Long Term Care Magazine
  Order of Excellence in Architecture and Design
• Preservation Worcester and the American Institute of
  Architects Central Massachusetts
  Design Excellence Award

The original buildings of Notre Dame du Lac are comprised of three distinct sections, built from the 19th century to the mid-1960s, each taking a form particular to its original use. The earliest section, a 100,000 quare foot chapel with an organ loft and sanctuary, was built circa 1896, and was subsequently enlarged by the second major structure, a convent, to which a nursing facility was attached in the 1960s. Making sense of the haphazard existing configuration of the three sections posed a unique challenge that was solved by the addition of new construction to unify the overall layout around two new large courtyards.

The facility is three stories high and totals 121,000 square feet. Each of the private residences allows for a spacious living room, kitchenette, and private bath. The specialized dementia program is a secured area with its own private courtyard. Other amenities in the facility include a beautifully renovated chapel, comfortable sitting areas, a formal community dining room, a quiet library, a country kitchen, a private dining room, and a craft room.

Photos by Bruce T. Martin