Details

Object
Apartments for seniors - Haus Brina
Location
Düsseldorf, Germany
Completion
2023
Planner/Architect
Pro Urban AG
Executing company
Imbusch Einrichtungen GmbH, Löningen
Application
Bathroom furniture, Cloakroom, Kitchen, Reception counters

Care 2.0 in Düsseldorf

Even the exterior of the building is very different from the traditional care facilities we are familiar with. A restaurant on the first floor, red clinker brick and spacious balconies, the "Pures Leben" building looks like an upscale residential home. "Our homes take into account all the structural requirements for inpatient care, our customers rent or buy their apartments from us - and can book care individually as required, as an in-house outpatient solution, so to speak." The special thing is that the way you live there can always be adapted to meet your needs. The apartments can simply be used as a home, but if care is needed later, it can be provided within your own four walls. "We want our guests to be able to live independently into old age - and receive as much support as they want," says Möller.

For Pro Urban, this includes not only attractively designed apartments but also a coherent spatial concept: in addition to the apartments and the day care facility, the building on Hansaallee has spacious, semi-public areas that are available to residents for their activities. This includes communal rooms on all floors, a large roof terrace, an inner courtyard and a communal kitchen as well as a reception desk that is manned around the clock. The restaurant in the building, which is open to the public, encourages interaction with the urban environment by offering lunch.

Shaping wellbeing

The architect responsible for the interior design of the property is Sandra Caliebe, whose task is to combine different interests: "In the layout and furnishing of the apartments, we have to manage the balancing act between a small area and a high degree of variability in use. Some of our guests come from much larger living situations and naturally need adequate storage space." From the built-in wardrobes, which are true space miracles with their sliding doors, to the bathroom and kitchenette, the Hansaallee has well thought-out fixtures and fittings that look good, are perfectly functional and practical whilst still meeting the individual requirements of the residents.

The public areas in the building are extremely colorful, allowing the property to stand out visually from the dull monotony of most retirement homes. "However, In the apartments themselves, we have kept things a little more neutral overall," says Caliebe. "One reason for this is that when many of our guests move in, they bring their own furniture with them, which they have grown fond of over the years. We see a wide variety of styles and want to ensure they can be used in the residents rooms." Accents of colour are then added again in the bathrooms.

The DST system from Pfleiderer

Whether a particular color is to be used across different trades, fire protection requirements need to be met or an easy-care surface is required, with the DST system Pfleiderer enables the technically and optically tested combination of decors, structures and substrates. All decors in the design collection are available as HPL and Decoboard as standard. "This product combination is ideal for us," says Ms. Caliebe. "In addition to the aesthetics, we can also fulfill the function and durability as well as the hygienic requirements. Even if there are no standard structural requirements per se - from barrier-free accessibility and non-slip flooring to the width of walkways and doors." 

However, this functionality is not the first thing you notice when you enter the building in Düsseldorf. On the contrary: you immediately feel at home in the spacious, appealing ambience. The feedback shows that Pro Urban's design approach is working: "Our employees also appreciate the atmosphere - and it obviously even has the positive side effect that word has spread on the job market. This is because we can usually fill vacancies on Hansaallee immediately, which is a small sensation in the care sector." In this way, a wood-based material even helps to alleviate the shortage of skilled workers.

Textures used

An Experts Project by Marisa Möller, Sandra Caliebe

„We understand real estate through the eyes of those who use it.“

Marisa Möller, Sandra Caliebe

Management Board, Architect / Interior Design

Learn more about the Experts Project Learn more