A new type of dwelling for people who have dementia in Oslo

Queen Ingrid's Garden is a ground-breaking concept for dementia care in Oslo. Located on Tøyen, next to the Lille Tøyen garden suburb, this dementia village will have a great impact on those living there.

The project is designed as a village with 130 residential units clustered in 19 communities, each unit accommodating six to eight residents. Each resident has their own room with a private shower, while sharing common areas, such as an entrance area, living room and kitchen facilities. The façades facing the surroundings are clad in two shades of brick to create a varied expression while allowing the building to integrate with its surroundings.

Internally, the building volume is broken into smaller parts, with each façade facing the three distinct outdoor spaces – each associated with a residential cluster – given its own character. The three outdoor spaces – called the town square, the forest garden and the park – have separate landscaping concepts, and together with the interior facades, they form the settings for well-being for both residents and visitors of the garden suburb. The residents are free to move around the gardens and common areas; wherever they go, they encounter surroundings that evoke memories of their past lives.

The common areas include a shop, café, cultural centre, restaurant/pub, hair salon, doctor's office, and several hobby rooms, including a brewery and an old, restored workers' dwelling, which can be used for a range of purposes.

Queen Ingrid's Garden is a passive house in energy class A. Roof-mounted solar panels ensure self-sufficiency in power production, and the building is heated by district heating and energy wells. The building was created in close collaboration with the client, Omsorgsbygg, the nursing home administration, and in partnership with HENT as the turnkey contractor and consultants from Afry.