Even the very first impression is of a wholly life-affirming atmosphere: the geriatric hospital in Ulm captivates through a generous atmosphere that is flooded with light and the transparency created by a large glass frontage. These bring the pulsating life of the surrounding city into the interior of the building; the people here can "share" the external activities optically.

This planning concept of architects Mann + Partners in Laupheim is sensitively oriented to the needs of older people, people who in their present state of ill health are reliant on active participation in current events and refreshing joie de vivre. The positive appearance of nora® rubber floorcoverings support these needs and that is why they were selected by the planners and developers.

So, for example, the harmony between the interior of the building and its external surroundings is supported by the colour-coordinated blue-grey floors in granulate design. At the same time, findings from the USA had to be taken into account, according to which the risk of accidents caused by slipping, which can be provoked by a sense of "psychological smoothness" among the old and disabled, is significantly reduced with elastic, non-shiny floorcoverings. This led to a demand for an elastic covering with distinctive surface which of course also had to be environmentally compatible. Freudenberg was able to meet this demand with the rubber floors noraplan® effect elastic, noraplan® effect and the electrostatically discharging noraplan® mega al. All coverings were specially produced with a distinctive, non-reflecting surface and are skid-inhibiting. And there are positive side effects: with its impact sound-damping bottom part, noraplan® effect elastic offers an impact sound improvement of 20 dB, while noraplan® mega al is largely oil and grease resistant. That is why Mr Ludescher and Mr Götz from the planning office succeeded in creating a symbiosis of excellent functionality and sensitive design.

Overall, 3,500 m² of noraplan® effect elastic (patient areas, hallways), 2,500 m² noraplan® effect (other functional rooms) and 600 m² noraplan® mega al (x-ray and operating theatres) were laid in the building. With 3,020 m of nora® nora® skirting boards and 1,600 nora® skirting board angle pieces, the expert fitters of the Hermes company in Schwarzhofen also created professional and optically convincing transitions from floorcovering to wall. Such details show not least the strength of the planners' overall concept in conjunction with nora® floorcoverings, whose successful implementation offers the senior citizens in the hospital the best conditions for optimal care and rapid healing.