FABvillage is a cluster of individual living units organized around a communal deck and garden.

FABvillage layouts are custom designed to fit their site and the adjacent community context. They can range in size from 3 units and up and you can combine different FABhome models for maximum flexibility and efficiency. New or existing amenity buildings can be integrated into a FABvillage to accommodate community resources such as a common room, café, or recreational space. They can also be created on the grounds of a new or existing lodge or care facility to augment capacity and diversity housing options, particularly for higher-ability couples. If the FABhomes are deployed on temporary foundations, units can be added or subtracted from the layout over time to match the size of the FABvillage to changing demands.

Type 2: FABvillage With Existing Support Building

A FABvillage can be located on the grounds of an existing building such as a community centre or clubhouse which is then repurposed to provide social amenities to village residents. It is most appropriate when the client owns, or has access to, an under-performing community-oriented facility.

In this seven-unit case study, the FABvillage is located in a small town on a municipally owned park adjacent to an existing community centre that is not being regularly used. The town is sponsoring the project and has contracted a local property management firm to look after day-to-day operations. A meeting room in the corner of the community centre adjacent to the Village entry is converted into a common room for Village residents featuring a small kitchen, communal dining table, a big-screen TV and a fireplace. A committee of Village residents organizes transportation, grocery delivery, and age-friendly programming in the main hall.

The community centre programming is available to all older adults in the town and surrounding area. Optional meal service is available through a contract with a local restaurant. Medical care is provided on a scheduled basis by provincial home care services. A local charitable foundation provides an annual grant that subsidizes the monthly rental cost for low-income seniors. Resident parking is provided off the rear alley, and visitors can park on the street in front of the village and community centre.

A FABvillage with new amenities is most appropriately deployed when there are no community amenities in close proximity. This is a particularly useful option for small hamlets who could leverage the new amenities to serve all residents in the broader community.

In this 15-unit case study, the FABvillage is located in a small remote hamlet in a rural farming district. It is located across the street from the hockey arena and elementary school, the only community services in the hamlet. The project is sponsored by a local non-profit housing society created to help keep local seniors from being relocated to a care facility in the region’s largest town. With funding from the municipal district, the housing society expanded the project to include a community building which includes a small café, community room, and wellness centre (physio, exercise, hair care). The community building faces the main road and acts as a strip mall for the broader farming district.

The commercial units also open onto the communal deck at the rear of the site allowing easy access for the residents of the 15 FABhome units. The café uses a portion of the village deck for outdoor food service, and there is a tot-lot playground adjacent to the community room. Parking for visitors to the commercial units is located along the front of the community building, and multi-vehicle resident covered carports are located at each end of the Village.

Meal service is provided by the café for an additional cost. Residents can chose to walk over to the café or have their meal delivered to their home. Laundry and transportation services are also available at an additional cost. Medical care is provided on a scheduled basis by provincial home care services. The café and wellness centre are able to operate through a combination of contracted meals and services provided to residents and walk-in trade from the surround farming district. Commercial rents are kept low and are used to offset utility and other operating costs.