The Cross-generational Activity Center (CAM) is a brand new development on the map of Warsaw (Poland). This surrounded by a park, intimate building, has adapted its form to its enviroment, while its architecture has tuned to the human scale. People of all age groups have found a place in this diverse, friendly cluster. Thanks to the cooperation of everyone involved in the process, it was possible to make the entire area available to residents, communicate it well with the neighborhood and make it easily-accessible for everyone – those aspects were the major challenge in there.
The Cross-generational Activity Center (CAM) in Warsaw is a facility that has housed four independent units: The Children’s Home for 14 juveniles, The Nursery for 150 infants, The Activity Center accommodating 100 individuals with a day-care home and The Mental Health Care House for 40 people with multiple disabilities.
The goal of the concept and its main idea was to integrate people of all generations. A courtyard with a café, that creates a meeting space for users and residents, has become the heart of the project. Integrational activities at CAM will be continued from now on by Iza Rutkowska, an artist and social educator, who shouldered the multigenerational sculpture project to be accomplished there.
The form of the building, situated within the boundaries of the compulsory building alignment, creates a kind of “smiled face” shape filled with greenery and landscape architecture. The inner courtyard with a café, in the middle of which the oak tree “Henryk” has been planted, is an intergenerational meeting place. The location of the entrances facing the square is intended to facilitate the forming of relationships between future users.
Moreover, it was very relevant for this project to connect the view and space of the unusual, earthwork-sculpted park with the building in the most seamless way possible. The stepped elevation overgrown with greenery piles up towards Sierpinski Street. The elevation of the one-story nursery reveals a view to the park from the ground floor. The whole is complemented by old, tall trees, which are the greatest treasure of the plot. The lowering of the playground area gives the impression that the nursery is remarkably slight, to the point that from the higher parts of the park we can even peep into the inner courtyard.
As architects, we wanted to create a well-defined building with clearly separated units. The Children’s Care Home is covered with a mural created by Marcin Czaja, the elevation of The Nursery is decorated with a colonnade of colorful balls with kinetic elements. Greenery overflows through the main hall all the way to Korotyńskiego Street, emphasizing the gradual transition.
Terraces and roofs are overgrown with extensive and intensive vegetation. Even the walls are decorated with green trellises.
As in any reputable public building, animals as well have found their permanent home there. Well-tailored birdhouses for swifts are located on the eastern facade, and a comfortable, insulated and ventilated home for stray cats is nestled nearby the bike racks.