Intervalle. Future RSA Vallarsa

How can a Nursing Home become not only a place of care, but also a driver of wellbeing, culture and social cohesion capable of involving the entire ecosystem of Vallarsa?

At the core of the project, a vision of hospitality that goes beyond welcome and translates into the construction of proximity, meaningful relationships, accessibility and shared wellbeing. The co-design process made it possible to interweave voices, imaginaries and aspirations, shaping a concept that combines care, inclusion and immersion in nature as foundational elements of an open and interdependent community space.

The first phase of the project consisted of a deep listening process across the territory. It began with an exploratory site visit to observe spaces, context and existing relationships, followed by a phase of ethnographic observation and qualitative interviews with key local stakeholders: professionals and entrepreneurs, families, caregivers, volunteers and students from Vallarsa.

The material gathered, together with the analysis of several inspirational case studies, led to a first strategic workshop involving project partners and local stakeholders. The shared vision of the Nursing Home as a relational and educational ecosystem, a renewed culture of active ageing* and a model of distributed care laid the foundation for a unifying concept based on the idea of “Hospitable Nursing Home”: a space capable of fostering inclusion, proximity and dialogue among people, generations and diverse languages.

This concept unfolds along three core dimensions:

1. Care | The Nursing Home is a space offering both physical and spiritual wellbeing through a network of distributed care services (outpatient clinics, day centre, innovative therapies, public health services) and daily wellbeing practices (gym, swimming pool, yoga, tai chi).

2. Inclusion | Accessible and permeable, the structure welcomes a plurality of languages, identities, and experiences. It hosts spaces for learning, culture, and conviviality—such as a library, cultural centre, bar-restaurant, theatre, info point and lifelong learning programmes.

3. Proximity | Immersed in nature, the Nursing Home is designed to encourage mutual presence and closeness, including through shared gardens and pet therapy activities. A continuous dialogue between people and landscape creates a deep sense of belonging and connection.

Following the strategic workshop, we developed with our project partners an initial proposal outlining the functions and services of the future Nursing Home: spaces for innovative therapies, training paths, outdoor activities, outpatient services, food areas, a gym and a library. These are open, protected and multifunctional spaces designed to enable a Nursing Home conceived as a living, dynamic and territorially connected common good.

“Intervalle” is among the finalists of the Future4Cities Award. The winning project will be chosen by the online community. Support us with a simple gesture: in the “Progetti dal basso” category, vote for Intervalle – il punto di comunità dell’RSA Ospitale della Vallarsa.

* Active ageing is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2002) as the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security to enhance the quality of life as people age.