Elderly Home in Bednarski Park in Krakow

Elderly Care Home in Krakow is an answer for a growing need of such a places around the World. The project considers care home not only as a place to sleep and eat but aslo provides many facilities to make residents feel happy, usuful and satisfied.

In order to meet one of this special needs as a location of Elderly Care Home in Krakow was selected City Park and a neighborhood of Preschool. A healing, green environment gives a lot of opportunities and space for walks and other fisical activities. At the same time it does not isolate residents. It is close to city center. Also, neighborhood gives an oportunity to interact with preschool children. As many researches and experiments shown both aged and children can contribute a lot to each other. The shape of the building follows the main idea of connecting space between it and Preschool. Elderly Care Home consists of two parallel cuboids which allocate private spaces. Middle space opens to children play area and on the other side it ends in green house. Next to green house there is an area for own cultivated field. The building plot has a fall that allows for day lighting rooms located in the underground. There are swimming pool and chapel. Elevations are rythm of indentations which creates intimate half private spaces. Shared space provides canteen, meeting space and space for optional arrangement eg. room for lectures. Over this space outstreaches covering made of ETFE cusions. This material is special for its lightness and it gives feeling of being outside when it protects from wheater conditions. The building is clearly divided by function, which is highlighted by using different materials, additionally providing fire protection. Privte living units are built of blockwork. Common space has wooden and steel construction. The clarity of space is essential for elderly people. Elevations are dressed with sandstone panels, which are commonly used in this area of Poland. This helps to feel residens familiar in this space.