Orientation and Wellbeing
A welcoming addition to Oberhausen's municipal elderly care home
The Luise Schröder Home is part of Oberhausen's municipal elderly care services (ASO). The campus already includes a six-storey nursing facility, a commercial kitchen, and adult day care. Dr. Schramm Michael Partner, based in Gelsenkirchen, designed and realized a new building for the facility, replacing a structure that no longer met current fire safety codes. The three-storey structure integrates seamlessly with its mature, tree-lined surroundings. Through the thoughtful selection of light-colored facade brickwork and warm interior tones, the architects created an inviting environment for elderly residents.
Towering tree canopies embrace the building's green roof, anchoring it within the landscape. Designed and built in full compliance with DIN 18040 accessibility standards, the facility comprises 80 wheelchair-accessible single rooms, each with an accessible bathroom. Handrails run throughout corridors and common spaces, while barrier-free elevators and a bed lift connect all floors. A cafeteria sits prominently on the ground floor near the entrance and arrival area, welcoming visitors immediately. The ground level also houses the reception, administrative offices, and two of eight residential wings, each accommodating ten residents. Every wing opens onto either a terrace or balcony, with community spaces deliberately oriented toward the outdoors—allowing residents to track the changing seasons through trees and plants, providing essential temporal orientation. A carefully considered color palette proves particularly valuable for residents with vision impairments: contrasting door colors guide residents to their rooms, while white washbasins stand out against colored bathroom walls. Non-slip flooring and emergency call systems connected to the nursing station create a reassuring sense of security.
The entrance and public areas feature large-format floor tiles, while corridors and bedrooms are finished with vinyl flooring. The green roof functions as both a rainwater reservoir and sound and thermal barrier. An on-site sedimentation system treats collected rainwater before releasing it into the Mühlenbach stream in a controlled manner, returning it to the natural water cycle.
Photography Credits:
Martin Schmüdderich
www.martin-schmuedderich.de
(Published in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 02|23)
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