Sioux Falls, SD – On May 30th, the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a project that’s been years in the making.

At the edge of the VA Medical Center campus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, tucked beneath a canopy of trees, sits a place unlike any other on site. From the outside, it looks like a quiet home with warm brick, large windows, and a few thoughtfully placed boulders out front. But this is no ordinary house. It’s a hospice cottage, purpose-built for veterans spending their final days. And from day one, the design team at Schemmer knew this project would mean more than just plans on paper. It had to feel like peace. It had to feel like home.

Project Manager Shane Larsen and the team leaned into that vision. “The challenge was doing that on the campus of a VA Medical Center without making it feel clinical,” he explained. The solution? Start by hiding the hospital-grade infrastructure. Mechanical and electrical systems were tucked away in a mezzanine, keeping sight lines clean and comforting. Finishes were warm and natural light was everywhere. Even ceiling lifts, essential for mobility, were designed to disappear into the background.

“You think about what you’d want to see if you were living there,” Shane said. “That mindset guided everything. Not what’s easiest for staff, but what’s best for the veterans and their families.”

Of course, the technical demands of a federal healthcare facility didn’t just go away. The team had to design for blast resistance and security. Large boulders were placed out front to protect against potential vehicle threats. Brick walls and carefully fastened windows were engineered to withstand impact. Still, you wouldn’t know it by looking. The design remains soft and residential, not hardened or institutional.

The deeper meaning of the space didn’t fully land until the ribbon cutting. “You spend so much time buried in plans and specs,” Shane said. “But when you see the veterans and their families using the space, and it feels right to them, that’s the moment it all matters.”

Inside the dining room, veterans shared smiles. Families relaxed. There was warmth, not worry. A place to gather, reflect, and just be. “It really feels like a community,” Shane said. “That’s what we hoped for.” He added, “It’s great to see the smiles on the veterans when they’re there. That’s everything.”

Schemmer had previously worked on a similar cottage in Des Moines, and being chosen again was a point of pride. It reflected trust. Familiarity. A shared commitment to getting it right, especially when it matters most.

“Anytime we get to do something for our veterans, we’re proud to raise our hands,” Shane said. “This one will stick with me for a long time.”

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