Generation Bridge

Why our architectural heritage is so often neglected and forgotten? How can elderly people be a part of modern society without being left isolated and lonely? Generation Bridge is an attempt to connect young and elderly people by pilot co-housing project within the context of forgotten remainings of medieval walls.

Generation Bridge is proposing multifunctional infillings to the neglected remainings of middle-aged fortifications, surrounding the Old City in Gdansk. The new structures are designed with the leading idea of multi-generational integration through co-housing of elderly and young people. The additional value of the project is rearrangement of currently abandoned spaces around the city medieval walls. The old walls have been redefined from being dividing element into a generator of different activities and interactions for citizens. The new and welcoming public space has been designed with intention of connecting the city both in a physical and social dimension. There has been proposed a framework model suggesting a possible financing of a project. The income from lower parts of the walls infilled with public functions such as workshop spaces, cafes, city bikes, exhibitions, may support financially the pilot project of inter-generational co-housing units infilling upper parts of the walls. The specific program defining rules of young and elderly people co-housing has been introduced with the main principle of making it an attractive housing alternative for both age groups. In the broader meaning Generation Bridge intentds to manifest modern human relations in more and more individualised society. It aims to recall about values of direct human interactions, mutual help and concern for a common good by identifing with the place we live and with the people we are surrounded by.