The design is based on the thought of the denticulation of the building with the existing green space setting. The functional layout of the areas of this one-street village and this residential commune forms different public, half-public and private zones: forest garden, terrace garden and water garden.
The interface of the two types of living generates one central meeting point and communication area. The public functions can all be found there, as well as the entry area, the foyer, the cafeteria with multi-purpose rooms, the main staircase and the care disposition with a bath-care area. The main entry is situated at the back the houses. The common and representative area of the staircase gets further enhanced through one atrium and one light-wall across all storeys. The care disposition, the first contact point for residents, staff and visitors, is located at exactly the same position on all storeys. The entrance to the other tenants is located in the immediate vicinity of the area so that not only the dementia patients get facilitated for its orientation. The common zone of the garden area, with the forest garden setting the scene as an extension of the Kellerwald Forest, continues over the glazed transition towards the terrace garden as an extension of the chapel in the basement.
The building features a consistent, dark-varnished spruce wood façade. At the bay, the separation between interior and exterior is achieved through a delicate implementation of plain glass joints, which are virtually disintegrated around the corners. The façade is structured with vertical transom of veneer plywood and light metal.
Along the fixed veneer plywood façade, in the hallway and courtyard area, there is a ceiling-high glazing in pole-transom style, which intensifies the visual contact with the nature.
