In designing the care home, our goal was to enhance the master plan within which it is situated. Our approach was to liven up and charge the passage underneath the residential care center. Instead of cycling along a large building, you ride right through it. This passage is formally enhanced in the building, so the public character becomes tangible. Furthermore, the front façade is lifted along the street, creating visibility towards the green 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 five 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 in classic floorboards or a herringbone pattern 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 ponds. On the roof of the rear pavilion, a garden reminiscent of the coastal dunes along Belgium’s shoreline has been created. The sandy brickwork, bright yellow sunscreens, and dune-green glazed brick slips evoke a sense of proximity to the sea.