Located in the heart of Mortsel’s civic center, Welzijnshuis forms a vital part of the municipal complex, standing alongside the newly renovated City Hall. The site is a meeting point between movement and stillness—framed by a busy thoroughfare to the south, a public square to the west, and the fort with mature trees to the east. It balances urban energy and natural calm, anchoring itself within this civic landscape.
The project breathes new life into a former 1950s police intervention building, defined by its red-brown brickwork, natural stone window frames, and steep slate roof with dormers. Once part of a symmetrical pair flanking the City Hall, the building now stands alone, its counterpart lost, reshaping the square’s historic equilibrium. In response, the vertical extension asserts a clear presence, reinforcing the urban rhythm of surrounding residences and institutions. Modest in scale yet firm in intent, it completes a sequence of dignified civic structures, marking a final reference point at the square.
The original structure is reimagined as a public hub for social services, gathering essential community functions under one roof. Local welfare services such as Huis van het Kind and low-threshold services find a home here, fostering new synergies with City Hall. The upper levels house open-plan offices for the City of Mortsel’s welfare department and local organizations, alongside shared spaces that support both daily operations and communal engagement.
The structural intervention carefully negotiates past and future, ensuring that the extension does not overburden the original concrete frame. A new system of steel trusses and cross-laminated timber floors spans the necessary distances, minimizing weight while reinforcing the building’s sustainable ambitions.
A new aluminum-framed entrance, accentuated by large glass panels, signals openness—drawing daylight inward and enhancing the building’s welcoming nature. A sequence of five columns frames the entrance and extends skyward, defining the vertical addition with quiet authority. The new bay size thus jumps from nine in the existing section to five in the new section. This jump in scale provides favorable, generous axis sizes for the new offices. The aluminum façade subtly mirrors the surrounding greenery, shifting with the changing light, lending the building a sense of fluidity and connection to its setting.
At its short façades, large semicircular openings reveal the timber framework, offering a glimpse of its construction to the observant passerby. The rear façade is carefully excavated, carving out a dedicated entrance for Huis van het Kind. This intervention enhances accessibility, strengthening the building’s relationship with the civic complex. A cylindrical stair volume pays homage to the architectural language of the City Hall and the nearby fort. Both functional and symbolic, it becomes a defining gesture—anchoring the building in its historical and urban context.