North East Medical Services (NEMS)
Program of All-Inclusive Care
for the Elderly (PACE) Center
San Jose, CA | 45,000 SF
The NEMS PACE Center represents a groundbreaking evolution in culturally responsive healthcare design. NEMS is a non-profit community health care provider serving the San Francisco Bay Area, with the mission “to provide affordable, comprehensive, compassionate, and quality healthcare services in a linguistically competent and culturally sensitive manner to improve the health and well-being of our community.” Supporting that goal, the new center creates a state-of-the-art environment for elder healthcare second to none.
Located in the heart of San Jose’s Vietnam Town, this flagship facility is the first of its kind for NEMS, converting a vacant commercial shell into a comprehensive center for elder care. This initiative, a departure from IA’s multiple small clinic renovations for NEMS, gave the design team full freedom to craft a visionary environment tailored to the holistic well-being of San Jose’s aging Asian population.
The design concept, drawing on classic Chinese philosophy, is based on 天下 (Tiānxià), meaning “all under heaven.” As a worldview, it encompasses dignity, unity, equality, and community—principles deeply embedded in the architecture and user experience of the new facility. Understood across the cultures of China, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan, Tiānxià connects meaningfully with the diverse Asian communities served by NEMS. The design narrative centers around the belief that everyone, especially the elderly, deserves to experience healthcare spaces that affirm their worth and cultural identity.
The design unfolded in two phases. Phase 1 houses the core PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) agenda and includes dedicated medical exam suites, memory care rooms, a physical and occupational therapy wing, blood-draw stations, provider pods, and administrative spaces. It also integrates lifestyle-oriented amenities, including an activity room, media lounge, meditation space, and dining areas. Phase 2 extends the services with a full medical clinic, public-facing dental suite with panoramic X-ray, acupuncture and injection stations, and an on-site pharmacy.
From the moment a patient enters the center, they are immersed in a welcoming environment designed for clarity. The clean, upscale interior is meant to inspire user confidence and trust in the quality of care. The reception area is expansive and open, with easy navigation for patients with limited mobility or cognitive impairments, ensuring the latter cannot unintentionally wander outside the center. Anchoring the space and suspended from the ceiling, a custom felt art installation as a sculptural, sound-absorbing mobile, created in collaboration with LightArt, introduces a soft element and visual intrigue.
Patients moving through the center are guided by a subtle green wall along the main corridor providing continuity and visual stimulation. The circulation path, designed as a loop, also functions as an exercise route, encouraging mobility and reinforcing the center’s commitment to holistic wellness. Flanked by mural walls and green accents, it creates moments of intentional pause and visual connection, transforming circulation into a journey rather than a passage, aligned with tranquil garden pathways designed to encourage slow movement and mindfulness.
Drawing inspiration from the harmony and balance of nature, an indoor garden at the core of the center, positioned directly under a new, large skylight, brings natural light into the originally windowless interior. This space is multifunctional, serving as a dining zone, gathering plaza, and area for contemplation.
Organic forms, planters, natural light, and the floor design create a spatial rhythm and visual calm supporting the Chinese character 人 (rén), which references beneficence, compassion, empathy, and trust.
There are a variety of spaces for healthcare and well-being in response to cultural and program requirements. The center includes a meditation room with faux skylight and soft lighting, ensuring a tranquil space for spiritual reflection.
The adjacent media room, designed to accommodate group screenings of Chinese dramas and karaoke, promotes social engagement in a familiar and joyful setting.
Physical therapy and occupational therapy spaces are open and well-lit, lined with glass and equipped with privacy features, allowing caregivers to maintain visibility while protecting patient dignity.
Provider pods and administrative offices strategically located provide quick access for participants and are designed for optimum acoustics and comfort. The employee lounge is centrally located, with daylight views into the gallery, underscoring the value of staff wellness and inclusion. Reflecting NEMS’ request for maximum accessibility at all times, restrooms are carefully dimensioned to accommodate both patient and caregiver.
Throughout the facility, design features such as recessed curved lighting, low-maintenance hypoallergenic foliage, natural textures, and a palette of calming finishes reflect a sensibility to nature. The use of neutral terrazzo, tactile wallcoverings, and the subtle transitions between spaces demonstrates an intentional rhythm.
The PACE Center is more than a medical facility; it is a culturally aligned wellness hub that redefines how nonprofit spaces can honor and support elder communities. Every design decision—from oversized exam rooms with built-in sofas for family members, to circulation loops lined with murals—was made in the service of care, empathy, and belonging. By integrating robust healthcare programming with lifestyle amenities and a culturally resonant design language, the NEMS PACE Center stands as a national model for providing care to elders in a culturally sensitive environment.
Photography by ©Garrett Rowland