City of Philadelphia
Designing for Dignity
City of Philadelphia
Riverview Wellness Village Elmswood Cottage
Set along the Delaware River, among mature trees and shaded paths, Elmswood Cottage is designed to inspire tranquility. The final phase of Riverview Wellness Village, it expands housing options for people in recovery from substance use disorder.
From congregated housing in renovated cottages, to dormitories on the lower levels of the new Elmswood Cottage, to studios on its upper levels, the Village provides a diversity of living quarters to meet residents’ evolving housing and healthcare needs. Elmswood Cottage, specifically designed for semi-independent living, will offer 304 residences along with shared amenities and clinical spaces.
key information
Taking cues from the existing facilities within Riverview Wellness Village, the new building is composed of a series of residential wings with centralized amenity spaces. Its massing and shape delineate outdoor amenity areas while maximizing views to nature.
The building steps upward toward the northeast, with the most self-sufficient residents living in studios at the top of the eastern wing. This ascending arrangement is more than a massing strategy; it symbolizes the recovery journey, encouraging residents to reach for independence.
The building’s diversity of living quarters are designed to accommodate populations that struggle to fit in traditional male-female housing models.
"We were energized by the City’s commitment to innovating and to approaching recovery holistically. The building design and the services offered within it promote community, trust, choice, and dignity.”
The envelope design provides privacy without limiting visual connectivity to the outside. Transparency and warmth are balanced through a palette of glass and brick, while interior spaces emphasize daylight, views, and durability.
Beyond housing, Elmswood Cottage will offer a robust network of onsite services including primary healthcare, chronic disease management, nutritional counseling, and behavioral health support. Life-skills and workforce development programs like culinary training, art therapy, community gardening, and employment assistance will prepare residents for independent living.
The sustainably-designed building will double the capacity of Riverview Wellness Village, adding beds as well as spaces for training, education, medical care, and therapy. The design team curated an experience for residents, leveraging evidence-based and trauma-informed design to create spaces that prioritize dignity while ensuring community and individual safety. Outdoor green spaces, including a healing garden courtyard, will extend the therapeutic mission beyond the building walls. Plantings selected for their texture, color, and seasonal variation will invite residents into natural settings that promote physical and mental well-being. Recreational areas will encourage active lifestyles and social connection, while integrated public art will add cultural vibrancy and a sense of place.
