Senior Care Home – A New Standard in Elderly Living, Vievis
- Location Vievis, Lithuania
- Type Public
- Size 5 000 m²
- Year 2021 - 2023
- Status Completed
- Client UAB Care Investments
- Project lead Viktorija Blažienė, Edvinas Kolakauskas
- Authors Kristina Šimkūnaitė, Justina Nagula, Jevgenij Kuzmin. Interior design - nytt architects: Valdemar Pavlovski, Simonas Norkus
The Gemma Vievio Senior Care Home is a pioneering long-term care facility located in Vievis, Lithuania, developed by Care Investments and designed by 2L Architects. With an investment of approximately €10 million, this 5,000 m² complex accommodates up to 160 residents and has created over 100 jobs in the region. Strategically situated just 20 minutes from Vilnius, the facility integrates seamlessly into the local community, neighboring a kindergarten and a school, fostering intergenerational connections.
This project marks 2L Architects' first realized senior care facility, building upon prior experience designing similar institutions in Vilnius. The design draws extensively from international best practices and scientific research, emphasizing environments tailored to the specific needs of the elderly. Special attention was given to interior design elements that support residents' health, comfort, and dignity.
The care home is the first in Lithuania to aim for BREEAM certification, reflecting its commitment to energy efficiency, environmental friendliness, and optimal indoor climate control. Features include a specialized dementia care unit—unique in the Baltic region—designed with a circular layout to facilitate safe movement, calming color schemes, motion-activated lighting, and clearly marked pathways to reduce confusion and stress.
Additional amenities encompass a restaurant, massage and physiotherapy rooms, a reading lounge, a beauty salon, and outdoor spaces with walking paths, a greenhouse, and raised garden beds, all designed to promote physical activity and social engagement.
The Gemma Vievio Senior Care Home sets a new benchmark for elderly care in Lithuania, combining thoughtful architectural design with comprehensive services to enhance the quality of life for its residents.
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BREEAM Excellent Certificate
The Main Principles of Senior Care Homes
Modern senior care homes are thoughtfully designed in sectors, offering a gradient of privacy levels to cater to diverse needs. This progression typically ranges from fully open social spaces for communal activities and family visits, transitioning to semi-private areas for smaller group interactions or procedures. Ultimately, the design culminates in completely private rooms, often with en-suite facilities, ensuring residents have their own personal sanctuary for rest and solitude.
Rooms are designed to be appropriately sized and adaptable for changing needs, ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities and ample space for both rest and care. While communal areas are intended for activities, rooms will still accommodate personal items, a chair, an easel, and a window zone, with private, accessible bathrooms. The design prioritizes natural light, views of green spaces, and the use of warm, natural materials like wood, complemented by personal touches to create a cozy, recognizable "home" atmosphere.
Designing double rooms in senior care homes requires careful consideration to balance privacy with opportunities for social interaction. While private spaces are generally preferred, well-designed shared rooms can foster companionship and reduce feelings of loneliness. Key elements include ample personal space, clear division of areas (e.g., with curtains or furniture arrangements), and accessible individual storage and seating to ensure comfort and dignity for both residents.
For every senior care project, we conduct thorough analyses to identify primary sources of noise and environmental pollutants. This proactive approach allows us to strategically design and position senior rooms to effectively shield residents from these disturbances. Our goal is to ensure a serene and clean living environment, prioritizing the comfort and well-being of the elderly.
We also strive to maximize views from windows, carefully positioning rooms to capture the most engaging and pleasant external scenery. This approach helps to foster a strong connection with the outside world, providing residents with visual stimulation and a sense of engagement with their surroundings. By prioritizing optimal views, we aim to enhance the overall well-being and satisfaction of the seniors.
In every design, we meticulously analyze the sun path and prevailing winds to optimize the placement of rooms. This allows us to maximize natural daylighting, creating bright and inviting spaces while also considering thermal comfort. By understanding these environmental factors, we ensure optimal positioning for both the well-being of residents and energy efficiency.
