Housing for elderly people

This housing for elderly people is located on the banks of the Rhine. The exceptional situation of the site allowed us to turn the common areas and the hall towards the river: the residents can enjoy the choreography of passing boats. The programme consists of twenty-five fifty-square-meter homes, a restaurant in three sections, a computer room, a hobby workshop, a vegetable garden and a petanque field. Everything is organised to foster relations among the residents. Collective living spaces are as generous as possible, with abundant natural light. We have designed places that encourage exchanges and social interaction. Encounter-inviting events and sequences punctuate the routes. The staircase stands at the centre of the building, rendering it unavoidable. In combination with the wide central space, it invites mobility. Upstairs, the patio brings light from the south into the heart of the building. The white volume inside seems suspended; it deconstructs the empty space and lends a certain strangeness to the whole. Red concrete, terracotta and wood produce a benevolent atmosphere. Outside, the building is enveloped in brick on all sides. We selected a craft brick that is non-standard, irregular and occasionally misshapen. The walls catch the light; by emphasising its rustic port setting, the building connects itself to the history of the Rhine. Client : Ville de Huningue Architect : Dominique Coulon & associés Dominique Coulon, Olivier Nicollas, Gautier Duthoit Architects assistants : Javier Gigosos-Ruipérez, Diego Bastos-Romero Competition : Gautier Duthoit Construction site supervision : Olivier Poulat Engineers and consultants : Structural Engineer : Batiserf Ingénierie Mechanical Plumbing Engineer : Artelia Cost Estimator : E3 économie HQE specialist : Artelia Fire safety system : Artelia Acoustics : Euro sound project Landscape : Bruno Kubler Program : 22 assisted housing (20 x T1bis et 2 x T2), lounge room, winter garden, catering, multimedia room, hall, activity room, craft workshop, parking. 24 résidents Address : 41 Rue du Maréchal Joffre, 68330 Huningue Google maps location : 47.588383, 7.585551 Surface : 3932 sq. m. Budget : 4 000 000 € Schedule Competition : February 2013 Plans and technical phases : from january 2014 to october 2015 Construction : From march 2016 to december 2017 Construction companies : Earthworks road works (GIAMBERINI & GUY), structure (MADER), Concrete structure (TECHNOCHAPE), Water proofing (GALOPIN), Exterior aluminium joinery (LA SOLUTION ALU), Metal works (ROMAN), Exterior isolation and facade (SCHERBERICH), Scaffolding (FREGONESE), Plastering (SOMEGYPS), Interior wood joinery – furniture (MEYER), Wood floors (SINGER), Tiled floors (BURGER), Glued floors (ALSASOL), Painting (LES PEINTURES REUNIES), Cleaning (REGIO NETTOYAGE), Elevator (SCHINDLER), Green areas - fences (IDE VERDE), Heating - Ventilation – Solar production (LIEBERMANN), Plombing - Drainage (PAUL HERRBACH), Electricity (HUBER ELECTRICITE), Wood stove (LIEBERMANN), Kitchen (CF CUISINE) Photography : Eugeni Pons