In Porto, Portugal, there is a growing problem of a lack of institutional spaces for children and the elderly. This project addresses the issue by creating a generational home where children and the elderly can benefit from each other and at the same time serve as a meeting place in the city. We call the project "Villabyen" (The Village City).
Early in the process, we found a picture from the 1970s showing that there had previously been a narrow staircase alley through the site. This inspired us to focus on creating an exciting passage through the property. Our main focus has therefore been to establish a connection between the front and back of the site and blur the lines between private and public spaces. The idea behind this main focus is that making the outdoor areas of the site public will bring life to the area and ensure that the buildings' communal areas will benefit the entire neighborhood.
We aim to create a city within the city, consisting of 6 townhouses that accommodate the elderly, kindergarten rooms, and communal facilities. Each house has its function – the dining house, the gymnasium, the music house, and so on. This way, the elderly and children will be encouraged to visit each other, prompting them to move around the small town and the green landscape winding between the houses.
