Amour II

Amour by Michael Haneke follows an elderly couple, George and Anne, whose routine is disrupted after Anne suffers a stroke. Their world shrinks to their apartment, where isolation fosters dependence, leaving George to shoulder the burden of care.

In Switzerland, 16,000 people over 65 experience strokes annually, with 40% facing mobility disabilities after six months. Once partially recovered, they find their surroundings no longer suited to their needs, making everyday tasks arduous and exposing them to the gaze of others. This raises crucial questions: How can moments of pleasure be recovered? How do we navigate the inevitability of decline?

Our approach aims to facilitate access to leisure and pleasure outside the domestic space. Physical and emotional accessibility are key. For wheelchair users, urban spaces present numerous obstacles. Rosengartenstrasse, situated on a hillside, exemplifies such challenges: steep ramps, unsuitable flooring, obstructive stairs, and secondary wheelchair entrances placed at the back. The main bus stop, located on a lower road with a steep incline, further complicates accessibility. Nordstrasse remains the only easily navigable route.

To improve mobility, we propose reshaping the landscape, introducing a gently inclined topography connecting key access points. By focusing on the disabled person’s experience, we create a space where they can reclaim autonomy and intimacy. The environment fosters social and cultural engagement in an adapted, secure setting. Individuals can choose solitude or shared activities such as cooking, eating, washing, playing, and listening to music.

The topography extends indoors, creating multi-level spaces. In the kitchen, for instance, standing and seated individuals can cook together at the same counter.

The buildings define two circulation axes, enclosing a central space shielded from the streets. A roof links the structures, providing weather protection along the pathways.

Project by: Justine Thevoz, Kristina Cittolin, Mathilde Turrian, Wenyan Li

Teaching team: Anna Puigjaner, Dafni Retzepi, Ethel Baraona Pohl, Lisa Maillard, Luis Úrculo, Pol Esteve Castelló, He Shen

Design Studio: Autumn 2024