This new care home is a keystone project in the plan of the city of Ostend to connect open suburban spaces along a continuous green ribbon.
By providing a passage directly through the courtyard building, rather than along it, residents and public interact more closely. A concave facade provides visibility to this new public route, and gives space to the bus stop in front of the care home. The lifted front facade also creates visibility towards the inner courtyard. In the back, the restaurant acts as an independent ground floor pavilion, which carefully positions itself between the buildings along the street and the recreational area of the allotment gardens at the back.
The building is conceived as an enfilade of moments, offering residents an engaging journey. These moments arise from a variation in consistent visual language, materiality, and color choice. The corridors on the upper floors feature four resting areas, ranging from a cozy red room on the street side to a spacious salon overlooking the garden.
The floor plan and material choices emphasize a homely atmosphere. More distinctive spaces, such as the salons or the chapel, have a felt wall covering. Oak wood floors can be found in the rooms, the salon, and the restaurant. The domestic ambiance contrasts with the institutional feel characteristic of large-scale care facilities.
The building encompasses two courtyards: a large one decorated with mosaics by artist Leon Vranken, and a smaller one at the rear, featuring three small ponds.
The sandy brickwork, bright yellow sunscreens, and dune-green glazed brick slips evoke a sense of proximity to the sea.