Emerging from a sloping landscape, Kungsparken Residential Care Facility comprises a unifying base section that links two brick building volumes. The site previously housed a health centre, rehab, daycare and a smaller residential care facility, which were gradually demolished to provide space for the new residential care facility with its 14 wards and 126 apartments.
The challenge of maintaining existing activities during construction initially resulted in an intense sketch process in collaboration with the client, the region, and the municipality. The very restricted part of the site, which was thus made available, and the controlled building height stipulated in the zoning plan, placed high demands on the development of efficient plans and programmes.
To avoid too large volumes, the plans were revised to enable a more varied massing. A horizontal pattern on the brick façades helps minimise the scale. Both the division and the detailing of the brick pattern are inspired by the neighbouring Shoe Factory building with its characteristic brick and plaster façade. The exterior brick pattern also extends into the building, where it appears in, for example, floor tiling, carpentry work and sight markers. With the aim of bringing about excellent orientability for the residents, the room dividing system is clear and features a varied colour scheme.
An important design feature is the base section which, emerging from the sloping landscape, brings together the communal services including an assembly hall, the professional kitchen, and the staff areas. A large south-facing courtyard connects the buildings and provides residents with an accessible and safe outdoor environment. On the upper floors, the environment is combined with generous balconies, boasting views of the surrounding landscape.