The brief and objectives:

Toppilansaari in Oulu is a wonderful district in the old port area. It is developing rapidly into a beautiful and pleasant neighborhood and a comfortable environment for the senior citizens. In Toppilansaari there was a need for a new service home for the elderly, where they are offered good care in home like environment.

The design for special needs:

The design solutions were tailored with consideration of the restrictions imposed by the old age of the residents. The room layouts, shapes, colors and rails support the memory and mobility. The staff work was facilitated in the compact space arrangements where the work can be easily done without excessive walking.

Through the eyes of the designer:

"For the design we dove into our grandparents’ mindscape. The idea of ​​the wooden corridors arose from the village road, which is lined with wooden shed buildings. The houses' cozy courtyard with paths acts as a sheltered and functional outdoor area." - Mika Huhtala.