new residential care home for the elderly de la broye, domdidier - competition

project owner :

health and social network de la broye fribourg

programme :

4 living units for 90 beds, communal areas, administration, day centre and professional and technical premises

dates :

competition 2022 1st round and 2023 2nd round

collaboration :

virdis architecture, architect fribourg

mg associés, landscape architects vuissens

gex & dorthe, civil engineers bulle

planair, consulting engineers for energy and the environment givisiez

ecofireconcept, fire protection venthône

urban layout and dimensions

the new care home takes the form of a building that twists and bends to respond to its immediate surroundings. the scale of the gable ends communicates with the neighbouring buildings. the interplay of twisting and expansion and the way in which the gables express themselves make it possible to subtly integrate the new volume despite the large dimensions. its urban form means that there is neither a front nor back. all the building's orientations and their intrinsic qualities are emphasised.

the building recedes to form a generous reception area to the north, extending the chemin des écoliers and providing access to the existing care home on the other side of the route des vuarines. this is a key axis that we are proposing to enhance in order to create a link between the public spaces on either side of the road. to the west, the building curves in on itself to create an intimate, protective courtyard, sheltered from the wind and benefiting from maximum sunlight. this open courtyard forms the heart of the project; it is the benchmark space, the ideal living and meeting space, allowing the elderly to go out into an environment that is protected while still being open to the world outside.

organisation of the premises

the premises are arranged over 4 successive floors: the basement includes a car park and technical and service premises, the ground floor houses the communal areas, the day centre and professional premises, and the two upper floors each contain two residential units.

on the ground floor, communal areas are arranged along a central route of corridors that cross the building from north to south.

the cafeteria is located naturally near the main entrance as a public space where residents and visitors can meet, share and exchange ideas. the dining room, multi-purpose room and staff dining room are located near the cafeteria. the rest of the communal areas, such as the hairdressers, art therapy and medical consultations, are in the southern part of the central wing of the building not normally frequented by its visitors. finally, the professional areas are in the southern wings of the building, out of the way of residents and visitors. the day centre is located to the north of the building, close to the village, the route des vuarines and the car park, making it easy for the public to gain access. the terrace of the café de l'amitié is open to everyone thereby encouraging exchange between generations.

floors 1 and 2 are perfectly identical and contain the care home's 4 residential units. each floor has 2 residential units, each with 22 and 23 bedrooms respectively.

they also each have semi-private rooms (unit living room and lounge) and service rooms (nurses' office, care team room, sluice room, clean linen store, medical equipment, cleaners' room and wc).

on the three floors above the ground floor, all the areas that are conducive to activities (semi-private and shared areas) open out onto the garden, which acts as a real focal point and thus becomes an integral part of the activities.