The Klosterkirch Home: 2 (BauWerke) - Softcover

So long as old people continue to live in their own homes, society does not take full notice of them. But the moment they need senior citizens' homes, residential centres and sheltered housing, the dilemma becomes evident. There are not enough institutions of this kind, and those which do exist often leave much to be desired in their design and quality. The Klosterkirchhof Home in Kiel is an exception in every respect: it is in the heart of the city and thus near to everything that people need in their daily life. It is like a good hotel which offers both places for people to meet and opportunities for privacy. Its architecture is a balance of high-quality design and sensitive integration into the urban surroundings. The beautiful Klosterkirchhof Home in Kiel bears no resemblance to an ordinary old people's home. It is a successful building and a successful piece of urban renewal in the city centre. It places old people at the centre of urban public life yet allows them to withdraw into a private environment which would normally have no place in this part of the city.