‘t Huis Courtrai care campus · interior

program

The ‘t Huis project in Courtrai includes the development of a master plan for the entire campus and the architectural design of a new replacement building for 135 residents, a local service center, a daycare facility, and a nursery. assar also assisted the client in navigating and securing VIPA subsidies.

concept

The main entrance is centrally located along the promenade, providing access to the central staircase and visitor elevators. The nursing home consists of eight distinct building blocks, orthogonally connected and designed to match the scale of a residential house. These housing units are positioned perpendicularly to the promenade, ensuring that all rooms are oriented east-west. The rhythmic sequence of these residential units, with open spaces between them on the scale of a large street, creates a dynamic contrast between built and open areas.

The living spaces are directly connected to these open areas, offering unobstructed views of the surroundings and ensuring transparency throughout the building. Each nursing home unit consists of two living groups, each with 16 rooms. Each living group is further divided into two houses of 8 rooms, a concept clearly reflected in the architectural design. From the exterior, the structure conveys a sense of small scale and homeliness.

Functionally, the design prioritizes a welcoming and homely atmosphere. There is no central kitchen; instead, each living unit has its own kitchen where daily meals are prepared. The residential units also feature a shared living room, a TV lounge, and a reading corner.

Each care unit follows an H-shaped floor plan. The horizontal bar of the H accommodates semi-public functions and services, including the nursing station, day and dining rooms, wellness areas, kitchen, and storage spaces. At both intersections of the H, the volume is punctuated by two patios that serve as orientation points and landmarks, bringing in natural light and ventilation. These visual connections foster social interaction and a sense of oversight among residents, staff, and visitors, while also providing spatial references for residents.

The two vertical wings of the H-shaped layout consist of four residences. Due to their arrangement, these areas offer a high degree of privacy. Each sanitary unit extends into the corridor, creating a small entrance area for every two rooms, providing additional privacy.

This concept offers several advantages:

• The entire service is logistically centralized.

• The nursing station is centrally located, reducing walking distances.

• Thanks to the central positioning of the various day rooms, residents can be transferred to a different group if needed without having to move to another part of the building.

• The central elevator and monumental staircase for visitors provide direct access to each care unit from this central area. As a result, visitors and logistical flows do not pass in front of the residents’ rooms.

domestic atmosphere

small-scale standardized living

‘t Huis Courtrai fully embodies a small-scale normalized lifestyle. The environment is designed to create a familial atmosphere, where residents feel safe and comfortable. By focusing on small living groups and an intimate setting, the project prioritizes the well-being of its residents.

The new building of the ‘t Huis care home will feature eight living groups. Each group will operate at a domestic pace within a warm, welcoming environment, complete with its own kitchen and living space. This setup also allows residents to be grouped according to their care needs, such as those affected by dementia.

The project also offers health-related advantages: this organization helps prevent and control the spread of viruses. This approach was a key consideration from the project’s inception in 2014, and its relevance has only been reinforced by the COVID-19 crisis.

nursery

The residential care center is not a standalone facility but part of a larger care campus. Along the lively promenade, the nursery and the parents’ reception area are also located. The nursery is divided into three living groups, accommodating a total of 54 babies and toddlers. Two of these groups are managed by the City of Courtrai, while the third is dedicated to foster families. Each living group is equipped with its own kitchen, a care room, and sufficient sleeping spaces for every child. The entrance to the childcare facilities is intentionally placed near the main entrance of the care campus to encourage interaction between different age groups. The parents’ reception area has a separate entrance on the side. Both entrances provide ample storage space for strollers.

The nursery corridor features two colorful volumes, each containing individual lockers where children can store their personal belongings. These volumes are accessible from both the corridor and the living groups, serving as a connecting element between the two spaces. The two living groups can easily be combined into a single large space by opening the full-height sliding doors. Additionally, they share a central kitchen, designed to serve both groups simultaneously, enhancing spatial flexibility and staff efficiency.

Each living group has a unique theme or color accent, which, in addition to the standard design elements, guides the furnishing choices and clearly differentiates the various rooms and functions.

For the interior, soft colors and light wood tones were selected, reflected in the floors, walls, and built-in furniture. As a decorative accent, custom-printed wallpaper has been applied to the partition wall, complemented by thematic prints specifically designed for these spaces.

interior concept approach

Our interior architects are involved in the project from the very beginning and are an integral part of the design team.

During the initial phase, a concept is developed for the look and feel of the interior, based on mood boards, reference projects, and sketches. This interior concept is reviewed with the client and continuously refined. Renderings are created, and materials and colors are presented in a mood board for evaluation.

In the implementation phase, the interior architect selects finishes and colors based on technical specifications submitted by the contractor. A revised mood board is then presented to the client and cross-checked against the initial design mood board. Throughout the entire process, from concept to execution, the interior architect remains actively involved to ensure the successful realization of the project.

energy & certification

BEN