Architect designs sustainable timber housing for seniors high rise
LONDON: An architect has designed a water adjacent sustainable timber high rise apartment project for seniors.
Architecture and urban design practice SeARCH has unveiled a design for a new timber housing project on Amsterdam’s Haveneiland, IJburg. The team is working with care institution Amstelring, sustainability specialist DGMR and healthcare real estate investor Apollo Zorgvastgoedfonds on the sustainable development. The energy-neutral residential building, entitled Eyckstaete, will be the first timber residential building to offer sustainable housing for the elderly on IJburg.
As the design team notes, Eyckstaete is comprised out of prefabricated timber modules which can be combined to offer diverse housing typologies and greater flexibility as residents age. This housing concept is in line with a sensitive care model which follows the phases of ageing; allowing seniors to live independently while possible, providing care at home as needed and creating a smooth transition to group homes once more complex care is required.
Within Eyckstaete, the design features a mix of homes for independent seniors, homes for people with more severe care needs, and homes for care workers; these are combined with generous common spaces above a lively plinth. The plinth acts as a connector between the residents and the surrounding neighborhood, providing facilities for the ageing population and enabling interaction with the wider public. A passage through the plinth provides access to the central courtyard, where residents of Eyckstaete and the surrounding buildings can meet and relax within a green environment.
