The day care center was commissioned by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland to provide flexible respite care for people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and to offer support for affected families. The challenge in designing a care environment for those with the disease is to produce calm, coherent spaces which reduce enervating distraction, aid orientation, and encourage mobility. Through design it is possible to alleviate disorientation, confusion, and aggression in many people with the disease. The project eliminates any institutional or medical character through the use of careful, bespoke timber detailing, the relaxed flow of internal and external spaces and generous day-lit rooms. The center is situated within an old walled garden. Arranged within this protected place are a series interconnected pavilions incorporating social spaces, serene gardens and courtyards, through which people may wander. The position of the buildings is carefully planned to provide outdoor areas with different orientations, and that can be used throughout the day. Inside, the wooden surfaces and carpentry details, such as the built-in seats under the windows, alternate with the brick walls and large openings, creating a calm atmosphere with views over the gardens...