Nursing home, Duisburg-Rheinhausen
To be loved by the gods means to die young.
(ancient Greek wisdom)
A renowned operator of nursing homes for senior citizens in Germany intends to have a nursing home built in Duisburg-Rheinhausen.
The site in Guenterstrasse has infrastructural advantages ‑ due to the particular features of this location ‑ for such a purpose. Inter alia, the borderline between a grown and well developed building structure (residential housing) on the one side and the green space on the other, support the choice.
Two 3-storey building blocks plus attic storeys, interlinked with each other, have been proposed.
The existing buildings are to be complemented into this 3-storey construction. Due to its curved shape, the 4-storey element (attic storey) represents an appropriately clear contour towards the open space, which marks the end element of the existing settlement structure significantly.
The chosen number of storeys serves for the building to fit into the surroundings so that from an urbanistic point of view it blends in well.
The grouping into two buildings was chosen based on functional considerations. The northern wing with 82 beds is to house the 'regular' nursing departments (care levels 2 and 3), the southern wing will primarily house dementia patients.
Both buildings have their own, separate access.
The core element of the northern part of the building is a central hall with a glass ceiling to serve as the communication centre with a direct link ‑ in the ground floor ‑ to the refectory and recreational facilities.
