The retirement and nursing home in Engelberg with more light and sunshine

How the new extension to the retirement and nursing home became a true rock crystal

In an architectural competition, the “Bergkristall” planning design was chosen as the winner by the jury and recommended for implementation. This involves a new extension for a retirement and nursing home in Engelberg, which is reminiscent of a rock crystal even from its rough shape. However, the architectural rough diamond only became a real crystal with the extraordinary roof window element by HP Gasser AG from Lungern.

Everyone knows that light, air and sun are essential for human life. And even elderly citizens have a great desire for light and sun and are reluctant to hole up in dark rooms and corridors. After all, sunlight and even daylight ensure that the body releases important hormones and also boosts the production of certain substances in the organism. All in all, daylight makes us feel better, more balanced and more full of life. At the latest after a long dark winter, this is also felt by people who are otherwise less often in the sun.

A new era has now dawned for senior citizens in Engelberg in the “Bergkristall”. The new building was designed as a location for retirement apartments and offers an architectural highlight with the senior-friendly staircase inside the building. HP Gasser AG has put the real crown on the whole thing. However, the “Bergkristall” will not be used for retirement living until the renovation of the nursing area in the main building has been successfully completed. Until then, the senior citizens in need of care will also be able to enjoy the benefits of the “Bergkristall”.

This crown is a large-scale roof window element, which is special not only in terms of its dimensions. The shape is also strongly reminiscent of a rock crystal and thus skilfully implements the basic idea of the architectural design. The effect of this fixed glazing is to bring lots of light into the central corridor, which now looks like a large, brightly lit courtyard. Here, the residents can enjoy light and sunshine on a massive scale and at the same time enjoy an attitude to life that is essentially based on the friendly brightness of an atrium.

With the window element high on the roof of the “Bergkristall”, HP Gasser has once again proven that it can always create high-quality and excellent solutions even far from any standards. The prerequisite for this is not only excellence in planning but also the experience of the craftsmen in the production halls and the skill of the assemblers on the construction site. Because there is no substitute for good daylight.