the end of youth
Prof. Mariam Issoufou-Kamara
ETH Zürich - FS 2023 - group work
In the tendency of a generational shift within swiss demographics, we were asked to imagine facilities which tackle this problem in an intergenerational way. “Noor” acts as a specific local case study of tackling the issue of a growing elderly postmigrant community.
A collaboration with the swiss “old age and survivors insurance” is imagined to finance such an institution. In the case of Altstetten the focus fell on the Levantine population and discovers the intersections with the Swiss culture.
The programmatic opening to the general public, but also the specific uses for this communities are spread across the floors, where the last floor houses the most community-sprecific use. The big atrium is derived from Levantine courtyards and allows infromal encounters. This space is the intersection of the square building and outdoor space.
A curtain facade is created from various symbols from the Levantine culture. These symbols can be found in carpets, emrboideries and facial tattoos. Thus it ornaments the face of the building with it’s tattoos and likewise creates an intangible carpet from the shadows casting through it.
