A Village Takes Care of Its Own
On a clear April morning in Tamworth, New Hampshire, SMRT Architects & Engineers joined the Betty C. Ketchum Foundation, local officials, state legislators, and members of the Tamworth community to break ground on Tamworth Village Commons. For SMRT, it was more than a ceremonial moment: shovel in hand alongside neighbors, caregivers, and elected officials, it was a reminder of why this work matters.
The need that shaped this project is straightforward. Seniors in the Mount Washington Valley have had limited options between full independence and institutional care. The Mount Washington Valley Adult Day Center, also designed by SMRT and developed by the Ketchum Foundation, has long served caregivers and their loved ones living with dementia. It fills an important role. But it doesn’t address what happens when someone needs more support at home, when a caregiver needs housing close by, or when aging in place stops being possible in a traditional home. Tamworth Village Commons is designed to address that gap directly.
The program is clear: twelve two-bedroom apartments across six duplex buildings, centered on a shared village green. Single-floor, fully wheelchair accessible, designed to adapt as residents’ needs change over time. Caregiver accommodations are integrated into the complex, so support can be introduced without disrupting independence or community character. A common building provides space for gathering, programming, and exercise. The site sits within walking distance of the bakery, the library, the post office, the theater, and the farmer’s market: the things that make Tamworth what it is.
That proximity is the premise. One of the speakers yesterday put it plainly: people who have built their lives in this valley shouldn’t have to leave it to age well.
What stood out yesterday was the depth of civic investment in this project. State legislators, executive council representation, community organizations, and residents all showed up, not for groundbreaking, but for a real beginning. The Betty C. Ketchum Foundation spent years researching what this community needed before a single line was drawn. That discipline shows in the details: modular construction for quality and schedule reliability, and a 100kW ground-mounted photovoltaic array targeting net-zero operational carbon. These buildings are designed to last, with a tight envelope that supports energy efficiency while providing residents with greater control over their thermal comfort.
For SMRT, this project sits at the intersection of housing, healthcare support, and community design: the kind of work where integrated architecture and engineering services have the most direct effect on the quality of life inside the building and on the long-term sustainability of the operation.
Construction is underway. Completion is expected by year-end. In Tamworth, that can’t come soon enough.
Craig Piper, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Senior Principal, brings more than 30 years of experience leading some of SMRT’s most complex projects, including the 640,000-square-foot Alfond Center for Health for MaineGeneral and a 585-unit residence hall for the University of Southern Maine. His work is shaped by long-term client relationships and a consistent focus on projects where design has a direct impact on people’s lives.
