La Posada at Pusch Ridge

Overview

Opportunity

Solution

Impact

Team

La Posada at Pusch Ridge brings resort-style amenities, mountain views, and wellness-focused living to a Life Plan community in Oro Valley.

Location

Oro Valley, AZ

Client

La Posada Communities

Expertise

Senior Living Residential Hospitality Healthcare [FPO] Cities [FPO] Urban Design

Opportunity

As active older adults expect senior living to rival the hotels and clubs they enjoy, La Posada saw an opportunity to raise the bar.

La Posada Communities is a leader in senior living across Arizona. For Pusch Ridge, Gensler set out to design a wellness and hospitality forward community that could raise the bar for active aging. Set within 80 acres of desert foothills facing the Catalina Mountains, the site came with Planned Area Development criteria, rezoning conditions, and Town of Oro Valley design principles. Rather than limit the vision, these parameters shaped a Sonoran Desert contextual campus that follows the land, preserves mountain views, and treats every amenity with care.

Why This Matters

01
Hospitality-Centered Design
La Posada at Pusch Ridge shows how hospitality and wellness can shape daily comfort, care, and connection, helping residents feel at home.
02
Active Aging
Residents choose La Posada for an active, engaged lifestyle. That single insight shapes the entire campus: where amenities are placed, how paths connect, and what draws people out each morning.
03
Meeting the Rising Demand
With a growing demand for senior living facilities, the project takes advantage of the marketable location and creates a community that sets the standard for future developments.

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Solution

The native landscape moves inward, informing an inside-out experience that gives the community a distinct identity while holding to Oro Valley's character.

Sculpted to the local environment, the architecture follows the site's natural topography and blends into the native landscape. Courtyards nest into level changes, terraces face the Catalina Mountains, and walking paths and butterfly gardens thread between them. Arrival unfolds through a lobby and dining room that visually open to the landscape, drawing the outdoors in. A health and wellness center, resort-style pool, clubhouse, and lounges extend the hospitality standard across the full campus experience.

From brief to build: how early feedback shaped a resort-style community that reflects La Posada's standards and resident expectations.

Our design team met with residents, staff, and operational leaders to learn what drives daily life at La Posada. Visioning sessions established the fundamentals, with natural flow guiding wayfinding, flexible spaces inviting the outside in, and casual elegance suited to the Southwest. A strategic design brief turned those conversations into working principles that were held through construction. Wayfinding drew the most attention. Because an aging population navigates through more than sight, the team layered light, texture, sound, and smell alongside visual cues.

Impact

Phase I opened in 2025, and the desert setting that shaped every design decision now shapes how residents spend their days.

Spaces for socializing, learning, wellness, and activity meet residents where they are, with design that makes daily living feel effortless.

What Changed Because of This

01
Active Aging
The campus supports active aging through accessible spaces, wellness amenities, social programming, and healthcare resources that help residents stay engaged and independent.
02
Desert Context
Contemporary Southwestern architecture shapes a distinct campus identity while honoring Oro Valley’s established design principles and desert context.
03
Indoor-Outdoor Connection
The building is oriented to maximize mountain views, giving every residence a private balcony and a direct connection to the desert landscape.

Recognition

01

BizTucson

Highlights how innovative design and resort-style amenities are redefining retirement living.

Team

Project Leadership

Martha dePlazaola Abbott

Martha is a Principal and Co-Managing Director of Gensler’s Phoenix office with more than 30 years of experience delivering complex, human-centered design solutions. Her work spans a myriad of industries, from workplace, sports, entertainment, and education to mixed-use environments.

Jay Silverberg

Jay is a nationally recognized architect who has led the design of significant academic, civic, cultural, office, athletic, and research facilities throughout Arizona and the Southwest. He is known for contextually responsive architecture rooted in the Sonoran Desert.

[FPO] Lindsey Feola

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[FPO] Alexandra Gino

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FAQ

01

Where is La Posada at Pusch Ridge located?

The community is located just north of Tucson, Arizona, in Oro Valley, on roughly 80 acres facing the Catalina Mountains and Pusch Ridge.

02

What types of residences are available?

Phase I offers 166 independent living residences, with floor plans ranging from roughly 1,000 to 1,900 square feet.

03

What amenities does the community offer?

Amenities include a resort-style pool, hair salon, lounge areas, gaming room, clubhouse, private dining, coffee and cocktail bar, art studio, EV charging, along with a wellness center featuring a gym, indoor pool, and spa.

04

Who can live at La Posada at Pusch Ridge?

The Life Plan community serves adults age 62 and older, with a continuum of services that support residents as their needs change.

05

When did the project open?

Phase I opened in 2025 with 169 independent living residences across approximately 350,000 square feet.

06

Is La Posada at Pusch Ridge a nonprofit?

Yes. La Posada Communities is a locally governed nonprofit that has operated senior living communities in Southern Arizona for years.

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Related Expertise

Senior Living Residential Hospitality Healthcare Cities Urban Design