Officials held a ceremony celebrating Electric Works’ most recent development, the Elex, a mixed-use development.
Dodd Kattman has been named a 2024 Environments for Aging Design Champion. This annual program honors those working to introduce design solutions that make a meaningful improvement in the lives of residents, staff, and/or the greater community.
A founding principal of MKM architecture + design (MKM), Dodd has helped evolve MKM into a nationally respected design firm, focusing on the intersection between placemaking and well-being. While overseeing the firm’s long-term care work, Dodd offers over 35 years of senior living design experience. He dedicates his time to designing, researching, and publishing on topics that elevate the expectations of supportive environments for older adults. Dodd has given numerous conference presentations on long-term care and advocates for aging adult populations, encouraging care providers and government agencies to adopt strategies that nudge seniors to live in connected, intergenerational communities.
As a recognized leader within the long-term care industry, Dodd has volunteered his time for numerous efforts, including serving as a chair of the Design for Aging (DFA) Review Task Force, a biennial collaboration between LeadingAge and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). With his guidance, the DFA conducted a national competition that promoted innovative design in senior care environments. He also served as co-chair of the AIA Design for Aging Knowledge Community advisory group. Additionally, in 2019, he was awarded the Juliet Peddle Award by AIA Indiana in recognition of his leadership in architecture, particularly in environments for aging.
Dodd has challenged the notions of traditional life plan communities through the introduction of alternative campus planning that focuses on balancing resident care with financial sustainability. He has designed a series of “pocket neighborhoods” throughout the Midwest. These developments offer clustered, cottage-scaled homes gathered around a shared pedestrian-scaled “commons.” What makes them unique is the impact they have on the quality of life of their inhabitants. By leveraging evidence-based design around effective and inclusive placemaking, these developments prioritize social interaction and a sense of agency for older adults in ways conventional settings struggle to provide.
Through these projects and the conversations they generate, he has worked to provide effective housing options for thousands of older adults. These campuses are designed to embrace the concept of a functioning community that empowers older adults to engage, smile, and live on their own terms. It’s an important distinction and one that Dodd Kattman has created a legacy around advocating for.
To read more about EFA‘s 2024 Design Champions, go here.
“Pocket Neighborhood Concept” – Piper Trail, Lutheran Life Villages, Fort Wayne, Indiana
