Everyone under one Roof, Generationshaus Zürich
Maya Weber with Alisa Knechtli
In Zurich, a kindergarten and a senior citizens‘ residence are united in one building. The tradition of housing several generations under one roof is revived and a unified space is created for the very young and the elderly.
On the first floor is a shared space between the kindergarten and a staircase to the senior apartments at the rear of the building. This zone is planned as a safe and pleasant meeting area for „everyone under one roof“.
A windscreen allows users to enter the building. Two recessed seats in the walls, reminiscent of an abstract house, provide space to sit. Under the benches are wooden storage boxes for every child. These are painted with black chalk paint so that each child can personalize his or her box.
Behind the meeting zone is the kinder-garden which you enter through a ball wall. This wall acts as a shield to the quieter zone.
In the meeting area, there are two types of abstracted houses - one narrow and one wide. These create a sense of intimacy. In small groups friendships between old and young can grow, life experiences can be exchanged, stories can be told and read aloud as mutual understanding and respect grows.
