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.

Harmonious within the landscape

A compact solution, combined with well thought-out placement of volumes, creates comfortable and secluded outdoor spaces, while also ensuring short walking distances between buildings. The volumes differ in height in accordance with the surrounding landscape. This, in addition to giving the volumes different colours, gives the impression of several buildings that naturally follow the landscape, rather than one massive complex.

The Heart Zone

The Heart Zone is the main connection between the different units and works as a central meeting point for the residents. It is also where the main stairs and elevator are situated. It is an efficient solution, but one that also provides a welcoming gathering place for the residents.

Large windows let in natural light and give calming views of the garden to the south as well as a view of the entrance area to the north. The area is designed to feel akin to a living room, using warm and friendly materials like timber and combining it with a selection of furniture, lighting and plants to create a homely and friendly atmosphere.

There is easy access to outdoor spaces—the gardens to the south from level one and the large, partially covered, rooftop terrace from level three.

Living units around a central core

The layout of each volume is tailored to the differing lighting conditions as well as to the surrounding views. The main principle remains the same however: each unit comprises ten private rooms and one communal space around a central core. The design is efficient in size yet feels spacious and accommodating.

In the entrance to each living unit, there is a wardrobe where the resident or a visitor can hang their coats. It is this type of familiar detail that makes a space feel more like home. Each living unit is designed to accommodate pleasant walks around the central core, with comfortable places to relax along the corridors.

Low maintenance and playful facades

The facades are designed to be low maintenance, yet with a friendly expression. This is achieved with the use of profiled metal cladding. To communicate the fact that this is a solid timber construction, we have chosen to have portions of the facades clad in timber. This is reinforced with the use of timber in outdoor ceilings as well as the entrance areas. The profiled facades and the varied window placement help give the building a light and playful air.