The project comprises four care homes and a community center, providing accommodation for 40 people with mental disabilities.
Situated between the authentic village fabric of Stene and a new urban development, the site functions as a spatial hinge connecting these two contrasting contexts. The architecture mediates between past and future, rural and urban, community and individuality. Two distinct building structures organize the site and define a park landscape that opens toward the surrounding neighborhood. This open space strengthens the relationship between the historic village and the adjacent development. The curved geometry of the buildings shapes a gradual transition from public areas to intimate private gardens. A meandering path threads through the site, linking it naturally with the existing fabric of the neighborhood.
Each building is conceived as a sequence of spatial “rooms”, each with its own character, scale, and orientation. These rooms connect to one another and to the wider surroundings, forming a continuous yet diverse living environment. Certain spaces engage directly with public areas, while others remain inward-looking and sheltered, oriented toward private gardens.
The design is guided by the belief that housing for people with disabilities should prioritize living quality and potential, rather than limitations. The project is envisioned as a large, inclusive house—open to its environment while providing safety, comfort, and a sense of belonging. Within this house, every resident can find a personal place that feels their own.
The architecture fosters proximity and connection through carefully designed sightlines, sound relationships, and spatial sequencing. Living with care is interpreted as living in closeness—where the presence of others is felt through a glance, a voice, or a sound. The design balances privacy and togetherness, allowing moments of solitude within a shared environment.
Both in plan and section, this sense of closeness defines the project’s structure. The result is an architecture that is homely and functional, secure yet stimulating—a house with many facets, reflecting the diversity and richness of its inhabitants’ lives.
