The Ruggacker nursing home in a suburb of Zurich was erected in the 1960s. In the course of refurbishing the initial orthogonal tract, which faces on to the road, a new structure was added, containing sheltered dwellings accessible to disabled people. This volume extends from the existing building into the sloping, landscaped open space to the rear. Its polygonal plan form is a response to the park-like surroundings, while at the same time efficiently exploiting the maximum permissible volume for this site. The two tracts are linked by a common dining hall on the ground floor. Although the tract with the sheltered dwellings is otherwise an independent unit with its own entrance, it profits from the infrastructure of the nursing home. Residents can use the care facilities, for example.
Laid out in a staggered form along the southern side of the extension are 27 small studios, and at the end are 14 larger flats. Both types of dwelling contain compact kitchen strips and easily accessible bathrooms with sliding doors. Along the northern face is a zone that is glazed on both sides to allow daylight into the internal corridors. This zone contains nursing and community spaces and a staircase. To increase the capacity of the nursing home, the existing structure was extended by two axes at the southern end and by one room per floor at the central offset next to the staircase. At the top of the building, an extra storey with a large roof terrace was added to accommodate a new dementia department. Low existing room heights posed a challenge.
Laid out in a staggered form along the southern side of the extension are 27 small studios, and at the end are 14 larger flats. Both types of dwelling contain compact kitchen strips and easily accessible bathrooms with sliding doors. Along the northern face is a zone that is glazed on both sides to allow daylight into the internal corridors. This zone contains nursing and community spaces and a staircase. To increase the capacity of the nursing home, the existing structure was extended by two axes at the southern end and by one room per floor at the central offset next to the staircase. At the top of the building, an extra storey with a large roof terrace was added to accommodate a new dementia department. Low existing room heights posed a challenge.