Lyngdal Nursing Home

Lyngdal Nursing Home, in southern Norway, lets the elderly ‘stay in the loop’ as an integral part of society. Thought-out by 3RW arkitekter and NORD Architects, the design offers a vision of the care home in which social interaction, comfort and well-being among residents, visitors and staff are key to delivering welfare.

Lyngdal Nursing Home provides long- or short-term accommodation, temporary care residencies, day-care treatment and home-care services. The general idea is to give eldercare a central role in society by letting both residents and the amenities contribute to a varied and vibrant urban environment. A hairdresser’s, a shop, a café and a day-care centre are all generously shared between residents and locals, as a standing invitation to the surrounding community.

The building revolves around the central atrium, from where you reach the five wings with their residences and wards. This approach allows the wings to reflect the users’ diversity in age and performance by offering different types of accommodation – from senior apartments, to care units, to dementia wards – or to be closed off individually.

The layout ensures that no residents are overlooked or get lost – and allows staff members to move effortlessly between common spaces and residential units, which minimizes the time spent on transport and frees up extra time for patient care. The aim with the design is to create a safe, caring environment for the diverse users – all of whom should think of Lyngdal Nursing Home as a home rather than an institution.