Nursing Home KO-RA

Set on a terrace above Ravne, the project integrates a historic manor with a new elderly home into a coherent whole. A garden square mediates between the existing structure and a new large wooden building to the north, encouraging encounters. A double-sided covered portico connects the two volumes of the new building. The lower volume, adjacent to the manor, houses a longitudinal space for daily activities. It extends from the reception in one corner toward the light and the western terrace, where the view opens across the town, the mountains, and the infinite horizon.

It began with an abandoned 19th-century manor, perched above the city of Ravne. The municipality donated it to an elderly care institution with plans to add a large new building. Rather than simply attaching it to the old structure, our main idea was to create an open square between the old and the new—a shared garden space that encourages meetings and everyday encounters. A cloister-like canopy surrounds this square, offering shelter and a place where residents can sit and observe the life around them. Our strategy was to respect the natural context of the terrace by placing the new volumes along its edges, preserving the existing vegetation. We sought to define and enhance the variety of outdoor spaces: the central garden square, a southern park, and a green western slope. Many of these spaces already existed—the new architecture simply reveals them and makes them accessible. Interior spaces are oriented outward wherever possible. The manor opens to the southern park and overlooks the existing western terrace. The new wooden longitudinal wing—serving as reception, living room, and activity space—opens both to the inner courtyard and to the western terrace with its expansive view. Some resident rooms are located on the ground floor, while others are distributed across three upper levels, organized around shared kitchens and opening onto shaded west-facing balconies. Throughout the process, our goal was to create a place of empathy for fragile elderly residents—spaces that are dignified, familiar, and inclusive. It has been a difficult process, and the lack of funding continues to delay the project’s full completion.

The complex consists of three volumes, each using different materials. The 19th-century manor is built of stone and brick. The adjacent new low-rise building uses brick and concrete. The longitudinal hall and the three-storey residential wing are built from glue-laminated timber, including walls, beams, doors, and windows. Gypsum board cladding is used where fire and acoustic regulations require. The mix of white and warm wood finishes creates a calm, homelike atmosphere. Wood and locally sourced materials support sustainability and reduce embodied energy. The buildings are designed for low maintenance. By integrating the old and new through thoughtful construction and material choice, the project emphasizes care, familiarity, and community—values essential when building for the elderly.