Nursing home design
The nursing home is ideally located within a valuable natural heritage site in Switzerland, set in an idyllic region. Its overall design concept draws inspiration from methods aimed at improving the quality of life through the design for aging. This concept integrates two approaches: evidence-based design and neuropsychology in architecture analyzes Brain processes encompass feeling, perception, learning, memory, movement, and the organization of purposeful behavior, facilitating adaptation to the environment.
Aging individuals, as a vital part of every society, deserve to reside in the best natural surroundings, especially after years of hard work and nurturing future generations. In today’s crowded world, everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy life and peacefully transition to the next phase while preparing themselves for what lies beyond. Contact with nature provides positive energy conducive to a healthy and joyful existence in the final years of life for the aging generation. My goal was to seamlessly blend nature into the interior space, creating a unified experience that bridges the inside and outside of the project.
I’ve strived to craft a nursing home that feels friendly and familiar, mirroring the design principles of a home but with enhanced quality of life features specifically tailored for them. Furthermore, spatial diversity within this nursing home offers the aging generation a sense of more social interaction that surpasses the experience of living in apartments or individual houses.
The elderly residents can enjoy walking in the open garden within a secure environment alongside their peers, supervised by an assistant nurse. The decision to design hiking trails was made based on neuropsychological studies showing reduced neural flexibility and issues with wayfinding in individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
They can participate in horticulture activities in both open and enclosed gardens. The concept of a sunroom garden is particularly suitable during Switzerland’s long winter at the nursing home. The integration of various activities and the inclusion of a coffee shop contribute to making the environment more vibrant and less monotonous, enhancing its livability.