Assisted Living for Seniors and Adults with Disabilities

Authors’ Comment

The complex is designed as a community organized around a green inner courtyard, inspired by traditional housing typology. The inner courtyard serves as the central hub of the complex, fostering social gatherings and group activities, while also functioning as a therapeutic garden that supports the physical and mental well-being of the residents.
The architecture strives to strike a balance between individual privacy and community life, offering each resident a personal space that provides security and a sense of identity, as well as access to shared social areas. The porch plays an essential role in this balance, acting as a subtle bridge between private and communal spaces, between the intimacy of “home” and community life, thereby defining the character of the complex. It also serves as a street within the complex, connecting the buildings, and plays a dual role as a hub for residents' social interactions.
The living spaces open onto private or semi-private porches, which become natural extensions of the interior space. The entire building is “enveloped” in a network of porches, transforming movement into a continuous experience between the interior and exterior and harmoniously integrating private and communal spaces as well as therapeutic functions.
The complex is characterized by low-rise structures—ground floor plus one story—that are simple and fragmented, blending harmoniously into the semi-urban setting. Natural materials, such as wood for structures and pergolas and warm flooring, are used to create a welcoming atmosphere. The metal porch–loggia serves as a connecting element between the volumes, linking the exterior circulation paths and defining a coherent route between the different areas of the center. This element was treated differently in terms of color to highlight even more clearly its role as a unifying element within the complex. Finally, a warm, domestic atmosphere is created through the use of wood, natural textures, and warm details.