Villa Andante Nursing Home is situated in a verdant, low-rise residential area in Nöykkiö, Espoo. The nursing home compares well with many others, thanks to its small unit size and gentle, home-like architecture. The star-shaped building comprises three L-shaped housing units organised around a multi-use central space. The separate lounge-type areas of the residential units about to the central space emphasise the clear spatial hierarchy achieved by the overall massing of the building. The concept supports the individual degree and needs for social interaction among the 46 residents. The large windows of the lounge areas and wide corridors leading to the private rooms promote a sense of spaciousness in the communal areas.

The surface materials and colours of the interior have been carefully chosen to assist the residents in their everyday activities, especially where sensory perception is concerned. Contrasts have been created in places where they are needed. Indirect light has been favoured – thus minimising problems caused by alterations in eye-sight. The design nuances are also expressed in the colour scheme. All the units are recognisable by their colour scheme ­– each residential group having its own particular character.

In any nursing home, the interior-exterior linkage is crucial. Here almost every private room has a view of the surrounding landscape, and in summer the most popular communal area is the patio extending out from the central space. The residents have unobstructed access to the rose garden and apple orchard. The concept of ”healing gardens” blends seamlessly with the nursing home’s architecture.

Wood has been used in a variety of ways, both on the exterior and the interior. The richness of wood as a material also comes to the fore in the exterior cladding, where boards of different width have been used.

The nursing home was designed by architects Tuomo Siitonen and Päivi Puukari and it was completed in 2010.

Text: Finnish Architectural Review 1/2011