Lindenhof nursing home
Lindenstrasse, 9000 St.Gallen
Direct commission, 1988
1990–1995
Verein Alters- und Pflegeheim Lindenhof St.Gallen
Michael Rast
The old Lindenhof guesthouse has always been a significant building for the district of St. Fiden. The dominant main building with a hipped and cross gable roof still forms the focal point of the complex today. In the project, two new wings replace a previous extension to the east and two buildings erected to the west in 1967. The new buildings refer to the adjoining houses and continue the street-forming pattern of building characteristic of Lindenstrasse. The change in alignment of the neighbourhood structure is accommodated with the slight adjustment in alignment of the west building, which results in the good integration of the complex into the surrounding built fabric. The existing main entrance on Lindenstrasse was supplemented by a wheelchair-accessible entrance via the courtyard area on Schlösslistrasse. More
By adding two wings carefully joined to the existing building, the original historic building continues to dominate the ensemble. The new centre of the complex is the courtyard that opens to the south. This open space with a café and garden terrace creates a meeting and recreation area for both residents and locals alike.
In the west wing, the nursing home forms an operational unit that is now connected to the main building via the ground floor. In contrast, the nursing home wings in the main building and in the east wing are connected to each other floor by floor via a kind of bridge. When walking through the individual building wings, the viewer experiences the differently composed circulation spaces of the old and new buildings. Thanks to the adjoining common rooms, the connecting paths appear spacious and varied. Orientation is facilitated for the residents by the fact that the common areas in the three wings are designed differently. As an open zone with stairs in the east wing, as a semi-open space with a bay window in the original building and as an extended access space in the west wing, these rooms can also be used in different ways.
The design of the interiors in the original building is based on the existing building structure and the existing character of the interior fittings. The external appearance of the existing and new buildings is also differentiated in accordance with the diversity of the interior. The facades deliberately aim for a contrast between old and new without undermining the effect of the overall complex. On the south side, the generous balconies of the common areas are aligned with the street axis. The set-back west wing on Lindenstrasse exposes the bay window at the corner of the old building. These measures allow the residents to participate visually in the life of the neighbourhood.
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