To design a residential centre that enables seniors to integrate with society – this was the challenge set before the participants of the Beyond Isolation: Senior Housing competition. A team of female students from the Faculty of Architecture won two awards in the competition.

As people age, they become less physically and socially active, which can negatively affect their physical and mental health. Living in solitude or isolation exacerbates these issues, increasing the risk of accidents and depression. An additional problem is the difficulty in accessing basic services. To mitigate the effects of isolation, participants of the architectural competition, organized by the Buildner platform, were asked to design innovative housing strategies that reintegrate seniors with society.

The third prize and the Buildner Student Award were received by female students from the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology: Ewa Maniak, Karolina Rorat, and Zofia Zwijacz. The Re-Sanatorium project is a contemporary reinterpretation of the traditional Świdermajer, a type of wooden vacation architecture that emerged at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries along the Vistula River Railway.

The project, designed for 48 residents, was created by combining two repeatable modules that can be multiplied into larger living spaces as needed.

One of the most important places for community integration are the verandas. They not only provide relaxation among the pine forest but also the opportunity to stay in contact with neighbours.

Residents resting on their verandas, authors of the Re-Sanatorium project: Ewa Maniak, Karolina Rorat, and Zofia Zwijacz

– Seniors can choose between single and double rooms, depending on their needs. Each room is equipped with alarm buttons, furniture, adjustable beds, and an elevator. Residents can furnish the room with their own furniture and live with their four-legged companions – say the project's authors. – Colours, textures, and simple, repeatable spatial elements provide a comfortable environment for elderly people struggling with mental health problems, including dementia – they add.

Community kitchen, authors of the Re-Sanatorium project: Ewa Maniak, Karolina Rorat, and Zofia Zwijacz

The students emphasize that their proposal aims for self-sufficiency. Community gardens, an orchard, and a greenhouse supply the on-site café and enable, among other things, culinary workshops and neighbourhood meetings. Composting fertilizes the gardens and reduces waste. An important element is also the rain gardens that collect water.

– Our project is not only a response to the disappearing regional architecture but also to the need for integrating older people with the local community. Located near kindergartens, schools, and residential estates, Re-Sanatorium strives to fight against the age gap and the problem of loneliness and to promote the exchange of passions and skills – conclude the competition winners.