Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness

Overview

Opportunity

Solution

Impact

Team

Michigan’s first activity-based Parkinson’s wellness center brings movement and community together in an environment designed for belonging.

Location

Farmington Hills, Michigan

Client

Kirk Gibson Foundation

Expertise

Wellness Brand Design Building Transformation & Adaptive Reuse

Opportunity

The Kirk Gibson Foundation envisioned a new model of Parkinson’s care focused on everyday well-being beyond the clinical setting.

Living with Parkinson’s requires support that extends well beyond medical care. The Kirk Gibson Foundation envisioned a destination where people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers could access specialized programming and build lasting relationships. Gensler worked directly with Kirk Gibson to transform a former corporate workplace into a welcoming Center that accommodates different abilities, activities, and stages of the disease while fostering dignity and belonging.

Why This Matters

01
A Place to Belong
The Center gives people living with Parkinson’s and their support networks a dedicated place to share knowledge and navigate the disease together.
02
Beyond Healthcare
Wellness, education, and social engagement work together to support quality of life beyond traditional treatment environments.
03
Designed for Dignity
An intuitive, accessible environment helps members participate more independently and confidently across activities designed for different abilities and stages of the disease.

Our collaboration with Gensler was critical to realizing Kirk’s vision: a community where people living with Parkinson’s feel supported, empowered, and that they truly belong.

Solution

The design turns movement into a connective thread, linking specialized wellness programs with intuitive opportunities for social connection.

Developed through workshops and program testing with the Kirk Gibson Foundation, the design organizes specialized activities around flexibility, visibility, and ease of movement. Fitness and spin rooms, pickleball courts, music and movement areas, gathering spaces, and a multipurpose gym accommodate different programs without losing a sense of connection. A central atrium provides clear sightlines across the two-story facility, while the preserved 360-degree walking track transforms circulation into an active wellness experience. Parkinson’s-informed accessibility strategies support comfort and independence throughout.

From brief to build: translating the lived experience of Parkinson’s into an adaptable environment for movement, independence, and connection.

The design team collaborated with Kirk Gibson and his Foundation’ team through workshops focused on members’ needs, program requirements, and long-term adaptability. Proposed activities and spatial arrangements were tested to understand how different classes and programs could operate throughout the day. The findings shaped adjacencies, circulation, visibility, and the balance between active and restorative spaces. Eight principles — Encourage, Empower, Educate, Enrich, Expand, Engage, Embrace, and Energize — provided a shared framework for evaluating decisions and keeping the member experience at the center of the process.

Program Planning Framework

Workshop findings informed adjacencies, circulation, and flexible programming to support diverse member activities and evolving needs.

Impact

The Center brings specialized support into everyday life, creating a place where members can strengthen their bodies, relationships, knowledge, and confidence.

Designed to welcome 60,000 visits annually, the Center expands access to Parkinson’s-specific programs within a connected, nonclinical environment.

What Changed Because of This

01
Integrated Access
Members can move between fitness, education, movement, and social programs in one destination designed specifically around the experience of Parkinson’s.
02
Active Engagement
Flexible, accessible spaces allow members with different abilities to participate in meaningful activities with greater confidence and independence.
03
Shared Community
Gathering areas and visually connected programs create more opportunities for members, caregivers, and staff to form lasting support networks.

The Kirk Gibson Center reimagines wellness as an empowering, community-centered experience — creating a place where people with Parkinson’s can build strength, confidence, and connection.

Recognition

01

Once Upon A Project

Gensler’s Lily Diego and Michael Schur share how the Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s wellness was designed to heal body and spirit, and become a catalyst for change.

02

Healthcare Design Magazine

Kirk Gibson Foundation adapts commercial space into wellness center for Parkinson’s patients.

03

Great Lakes By Design

Gensler’s Lily Diego details the transformation of a corporate gym into Michigan’s first Parkinson’s wellness center.

Team

Project Leadership

Lily Diego

Lily is an award-winning Creative Director and Building Transformation & Adaptive Reuse Leader for Gensler’s North Central Region. With more than 25 years of experience, she specializes in creating compelling design narratives and transformative environments that align evolving user needs with business and community goals.

[FPO] Christine Wright

Placeholder for office leadership name "Christine Wright" — no matching pagePeople yet. "pnpm migrate resolve-stubs" swaps this for the real page once it exists.

[FPO] Najahyia Chinchilla

Placeholder for office leadership name "Najahyia Chinchilla" — no matching pagePeople yet. "pnpm migrate resolve-stubs" swaps this for the real page once it exists.

FAQ

01

What is the Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness?

Located in Farmington Hills, the Center is Michigan’s first activity-based wellness facility designed specifically for people living with Parkinson’s.

02

Who does the Center serve?

The Center serves people living with Parkinson’s while also supporting the caregivers and loved ones navigating the disease alongside them.

03

What services are offered at the Center?

Programs address movement, fitness, education, cognitive engagement, emotional well-being, and social connection through an integrated wellness model.

04

What activities can take place in the Center?

The Center accommodates fitness training, spin classes, tai chi, pickleball, music programs, educational activities, and community gatherings.

05

How many people will the Center serve?

The Center is designed to accommodate approximately 60,000 member visits annually.

06

How does the design respond to Parkinson’s?

Clear circulation, strong sightlines, accessible amenities, flexible activity spaces, and carefully considered lighting support participation and independence.

Related Work

project

Nationwide Children’s Hospital – Conference + Data Center

A first-of-its-kind healthcare hub brings together mission-critical digital infrastructure, medical simulation, and education, turning a traditional data center into an active part of campus life.

project

TELUS Health Care Centre

TELUS Health Care Centre blends hospitality and technology to create a warm, patient-first healthcare experience focused on preventative care and personalized wellness.

project

HSS Paramus Orthopedic Clinic

This adaptive reuse project that converted an office building into an orthopedic clinic promotes mobility, movement, and rehabilitation for patients.

Related Expertise

Wellness Brand Design Building Transformation & Adaptive Reuse

Michigan’s first activity-based Parkinson’s wellness center brings movement and community together in an environment designed for belonging.

The Kirk Gibson Foundation envisioned a new model of Parkinson’s care focused on everyday well-being beyond the clinical setting.

Why This Matters

The design turns movement into a connective thread, linking specialized wellness programs with intuitive opportunities for social connection.

From brief to build: translating the lived experience of Parkinson’s into an adaptable environment for movement, independence, and connection.

The Center brings specialized support into everyday life, creating a place where members can strengthen their bodies, relationships, knowledge, and confidence.

What Changed Because of This