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LIFE Home Blog

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  • Happy New Year from the Nearly Complete LIFE Home

    As we enter into 2020, we're so excited about the rapidly approaching handoff of the LIFE Home facility from the construction team to the research team!  The LIFE Home exterior is officially complete and there are only finishing touches remaining on the interior.  

    The LIFE Home team has been hard at work selecting the Audio/Visual systems and the furniture to make the LIFE Home maximally operational.  Very soon we will be able to set up residence in the LIFE Home and begin using this fantastic facility to promote research efforts at the University of Illinois and beyond.

     

     

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  • Flooring, Lighting, Cabinets, Oh My!

    The LIFE Home has seen a boom in noticeable changes, especially in the interior, with the flooring, the cabinets, the island in the kitchen, and the lighting being installed and functional.  As you can see in the photos, the modern aesthetic is beginning to be quite noticeable and the space is now ready to begin the furniture outfit. 

    The LIFE home team walked through the facility yesterday to plan out what the furniture plan will be.  Decisions on these items are being made soon so that we can have an outfitted LIFE Home by the time we are handed the keys!

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  • Final LIFE Home Facade Installation Begins!

    The time has finally come for the final LIFE Home Facade installation to begin!  The dark grey textured panels are being installed on the top of the pink weather wrapping and the team's vision is finally coming to LIFE! Soon the entire exterior will be complete, leaving only the interior finishings left before the facility is handed over to the LIFE Home team! 

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  • LIFE Home Interior Gets a Fresh Paint Job

    The LIFE Home is now starting to look quite nice on the inside thanks to a fresh coat of paint and some cleanup.  The larger projects that required machinery are now being finished up so there is a lot more floor space to wander around in.   

    The LIFE Home team met at the space to begin thinking more about the AV and furniture needs of the space as this is the time to make those decisions.   More changes coming soon!

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  • LIFE Home Prepared for Siding and Garage Door Color

    The LIFE Home is now prepped for the final siding and facade to be installed.  Soon the face of the LIFE home will match the renderings that we have been relying on to date.   With the final facade being installed soon, the LIFE Home team is able to focus on the more aesthetic elements.   A part of this was selecting the color of the garage door* as this is one of the first elements that those who visit the space will see when pulling into the parking lot. 

     

    *Photos of updated garage door coming soon!

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  • Knock Knock! LIFE Home has doors and windows!

    The LIFE Home now has a front door and windows in the research space, inching ever-closer to the completion of this cutting-ede research facility.  Participants will use this front door in order to complete the simulation of a real-home environment.   As you can see in the photo, the door and windows match those that would be found in a typical home dwelling of today.  

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  • LIFE Home Team Plans Furniture and Preps for Window Installation

    As the LIFE Home construction progresses, it's now time for the team to begin making final selections for furniture and decor within the space.  The team has been meeting and discussing the use of each different space in an effort to maximize accessibility and flow within the LIFE Home.  

    Additionally, on the outside there is preparations in place to begin installing windows.  This will make the space completely enclosed just in time for the cold and wintery weather!

     

     

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  • LIFE Home Team Tours Interior Again

    The LIFE Home team was able to get inside the rapidly-developing LIFE Home once again to begin to think about final construction needs and begin to plan for the completed LIFE Home.  In this trip, the team noted furniture needs and began to think of the flow of the space from both a research participant perspective as well as a researcher/community member perspective.    

    With the walls up, the electrical installed and functional, and the space beginning to take shape, it is only a matter of time until the space is complete from a construction standpoint and the furniture is begins to be installed!

     

     

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  • LIFE Home Exterior Blooms!

    With the completion date growing closer and closer, the changes to both the interior and exterior of the LIFE Home are more and more noticible!   This week, the exterior experienced a bit of make over with the planting of the landscaping as well as the continued installation of the brick final facade.  

    The landscaping already makes the LIFE Home more inviting and will look fantastic next spring when the grass is fully established. 

     

     

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  • LIFE Home Gets First Section of Final Facade

    Another exciting update on this dreary day in Central Illinois as the LIFE Home now has the bottom section of the final outer facade almost completely installed.  As you can see in the photos, there is a band of light tan brick that has now been installed which will consitue half of the final product.  

    With the LIFE Home team taking another tour of the interior in just over a week and a half, we will soon have more interior photos to share!

     

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