Healthcare/

Åsaheimen Nursing Home

Project information

  1. Location Åsane, Bergen
  2. Area10.600 m²
  3. Construction cost370 MNOK

Project details

  1. Year2018 — 2022
  2. StatusCompleted
  3. Partners Norconsult
    Skanska
    Photographer: Hugo Lütcherath
  4. Client Bergen kommune
  5. Enquiries Ingvild Hermstad
  6. Scope Hospital and health care planning and design
    New Build

Åsaheimen nursing home in Bergen challenges the institutional and characterless environments traditionally associated with spaces for aging. "We see a great need to rethink the design of nursing homes to be much more welcoming and stimulating for residents, visitors and staff," explains Ingvild Hermstad, lead architect for the project.

Additionally, our design responded to the local municipality's ambitions to create a BREEAM Excellent facility with high architectural qualities and residential units with copious amounts of natural light and scenic views of the surrounding nature. The thoughtful placement of four building volumes within the landscape creates comfortable and secluded outdoor spaces. Varying in height and colour, the volumes give the impression of several buildings existing in harmony, rather than one large complex. Other priorities included cheerful and contemporary staff areas for meetings and gatherings.

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The Heart Zone

The volumes are connected by a central hub known as the Heart Zone, with direct access to the elegant timbre staircase and lifts. Large windows flood the space with natural light and give calming views of the garden and woods to the south and the entrance area to the north. The Heart Zone is a welcoming communal space with warm materials, integrated artwork, comfortable furniture and a selection of lighting and plants to create a cozy and sensory-rich atmosphere. Outdoor spaces are also easily accessible from here — balconies, gardens and a large, partially-covered rooftop terrace.

Feeling of home

The layout of each volume, all comprised of ten private units and a communal space around a central core, is tailored to the varying light conditions and surrounding views. The design is efficient yet feels spacious and accommodating. The entrance to each residential unit has a wardrobe for residents and visitors to hang their coats — details that creates a familiar feeling of home. Each unit has easy access the Heart Zone for comfortable places to relax and socialise.

Low maintenance and playful facades

The facades are designed to be low maintenance, playful and transparent. This is achieved by using profiled metal cladding, timbre in outdoor ceilings and entrance areas and varied window placements. The windows have a dual purpose of bringing the scenic outdoor life in as well as displaying life inside of the building from the outside, extending a warm welcome before visitors and staff enter the building.