“How could we vision a neighbourhood for all ages, welcoming people of different generations to co-live and share their skills and time?” Nursing the Care is an innovative initiative that aims to integrate healthcare services, staff, and comprehensive care into Danish Social Housing. The project is a first prize winner of international competition Neighbourhood for Generation and was presented at the 28th UIA World Congress 2023 in Copenhagen. By taking care of the people who take care of us, we can create a positive cycle that includes older individuals and multiple generations. This is what we aim to achieve together in Axelborg. By 2060, one-third of all Europeans will be over 65 years old. Like other European countries, Denmark is facing an increasing shortage of care personnel, and nursing home costs are a burden on municipalities. Housing costs for nurses are at a record low. Modern healthcare services contribute to longer lifespans, but many elderly experience isolation, loneliness, and cognitive decline. Social contact and resident participation are necessary. Overburdened welfare systems need compassionate communities. The master plan design and replanning of the infrastructure is an opportunity to diversify functionalities as well as upgrade the existing building. Our proposal discusses the renovation of the housing blocks and integrates new elements of health, landscape, and parking which were regarded as necessary during the site study. The project consists of 3 main elements.

Axelbro combines two winning proposals into one holistic vision to create a pilot project that contains:
– Axelbo/Axelcare as a development from Nursing the Care by LOCAL, Sebastian Von Hofacker (Verdighetsenteret) and Anna Helle-Valle (Aldring og Helse)
– Axelgro as a development of Thinking Outside the B(l)ox by Hele Landet
– Sociale Arkitekter & ØsterGRO & Andreas Høegh.The idea of including health care where we live can skip many phases of medical care and act as a preventive solution. The availability of health and health personnel in neighbourhood can enhance the quality of aging and growing old.

The design offers the possibility of running a pilot project to test, develop, and implement the overall vision. For this, three phases are considered which start with pilot project housing and then extend to larger refurbishments of remaining houses and developments of the landscape project.