House for Elderly People

Case Study: House for Elderly People by Aires Mateus Arquitectos

 By: Colleen O’Malley

This building is a housing complex for retirement and elderly people. This nursing home is located in Alcacer do Sal, Portugal and is designed by Aires Mateus Arquitectos. The shape of the building is reminiscent of a checkerboard, with its surface white and punctured at intervals by recesses to shade the glazing. The shape is minimal but creates a pleasant contrast to the softer natural environment, creating a clean, clear, and uncluttered look.

This program of this project is similar to a hospital and hotel combined. It seeks to reinterpret the combination of social and private spaces, trying to answer the needs of a social life combined with the life of solitude. The building is designed as a path that naturally rises from the topography. It defines and limits the open space, organizing the entire site. This path also defines the distance between the independent living units and is measured and drawn to turn the idea of a path into life, and its time into form. The garden landscape surrounding the building extends to reach up to the roof and certain parts. This gives residents access to the top of the building.

I belive the building is architecturally beautiful, however, the lack of visual contrast between surfaces and apparent wayfindings markers could make life difficult for the elderly, whose vision always decreases. The acess to the outdoors from each room is designed well. On the other hand, each room only recieves indirect light and does not have a direct view to the exterior, which can be very problematic if you are bedridden. The inside of the building also gives off a very cold look and lifeless, like a hosipital. The interior does not look adaptable for the elderly. The position of the buildng and the way it interacts with the site is implemented very nicely.