Garden with View

Couëron, France

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Garden with View

Couëron, France

Firm

Mabire Reich Architectes

Type

Government + Health › Aging Facility

YEAR

2014

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

Photos

Sylvain Bonniol (24)

Located in the heights of Couëron, a municipality of 19,000 inhabitants near Nantes, the residence of the “Foyer la Grange,” entirely rebuilt in the early 2000s, offers a view of the town, the pines nearby, and the Loire.

The extension is the new Alzheimer wing of the establishment. Located on the south of the plot, it supports bedrooms and the common area in continuity with the ground floor of the residence, and also covers a parking lot on the plot ground. The extension is also a retaining wall that extends and flattens to make the garden accessible for the elderly.

As the built volume closes the garden space, the bay windows open it visually through the generous new terrace, with a view of the remarkable pines and the center of the town’s skyline, marked by the emergence of the church steeple. In addition to the attractiveness of the views and the flood of light and sun, the frames constitute familiar benchmarks for disoriented residents. This chain of spaces including the existent building, garden, extension, and terrace, ultimately take advantage of the high location of the site to offer a panoramic view.

The program is also organized around a core that allows circular wandering practiced by persons suffering from Alzheimer’s syndrome. A curtain of strings, lit by a band of LED lights, reduces the volume presence and creates a game of filters. The hairdressing salon located on the front of the core takes advantage of the subdued views, both in the common area and in the exterior.

The indoor areas reflect the domestic approach of the program and this calming ambience is echoed in the materials, colors, and patterns. Materials used include a wooden frame, waxed concrete, and the PVC protections offer a set of patterns and colors which constitute benchmarks and stimulation for the inhabitants.

Work has also been done on the habitability of the rooms. The bathrooms are positioned in staggered rows to prevent intrusion on the usable surface of the bedrooms. This system permits the use of natural light for half of the bathrooms. Lastly, the concrete false ceilings contribute to the thermal comfort of the building.

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Team

Antoine Mabire

Architect / Associate

Marie-Hélène Reich

Architect / Associate

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Garden with View

Couëron, France

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Garden with View

Couëron, France

Other Projects by Mabire Reich Architectes

La maison paysage

Short cut

Increased Houses

Garden with View

Couëron, France

Product Spec Sheet

Collaborating Firms

Team