Reconciling the design of a 21st-century hospital with a remarkable landscape setting, combining contemporary aspects of well-being and sustainability with cutting-edge medical technology: this was the ambition of assar architects in the realization of the new St. Peter's Hospital in Wavre. The concept, inspired from the outset by the specific characteristics of the site - a valley exceptional for its scenic qualities, among other things - gradually evolved from the "hospital in a garden" desired by the client to a reflection on a "hospital that respects its environment. Current planning assumes completion before the end of this decade.
The existing St. Pierre Hospital site, on the outskirts of Ottignies city center, is no longer suitable for the further development and expansion of local hospital activities. It was therefore decided to erect a new building on another site that is better accessible (at the intersection of the E411 and the N25), larger (more than 15 hectares) and offers development opportunities for the coming decades.
The site in question is in Louvranges (Wavre) and requires a measured approach. Collective societal benefits are prioritized in all design decisions, while taking into account the requirements of a changing world - be it global warming or the risk of pandemics. Planting the hospital in the best possible way in the natural landscape (which is safeguarded to the maximum extent) and in the immediate vicinity of residential areas, taking into account differences in altitude and access criteria for the various streams of circulation, restricting rainwater runoff on the site by means of green roofs, storm basins and infiltration channels, constructing the access roads according to future expectations in terms of urban and hospital development, ...: these are just some of the many objectives pursued to ensure that the project fits optimally into its specific context.
The 80,000-square-meter building has a compact typology that promotes the efficiency of short circulation flows. The spatial configuration is based on a stacking of functions to reduce horizontal distances and facilitate functional connections between the medical-technical block and the residential departments, particularly by providing vertical circulation cores at the heart of the services.
The hospital complex includes three volumetric typologies. The two-story pedestal, which is fully recessed, contains all the spaces where strict medical and technical requirements apply. The publicly accessible ground floor houses the admissions departments, consultation rooms and common areas, including a clear link to the landscape. The upper floors, in turn, are dedicated to lodging facilities, including rooms with expansive views of the landscape. The architectural design attempts to minimize the footprint of the new hospital by providing the upper floors on the higher part of the site and aiming for a substantial reduction in building dimensions, in keeping with the natural slope of the site. Thus, the relative autonomy of the care units, combined with the recessed position of the medical-technical unit in the heavily wooded site, creates a serene and cozy atmosphere, especially for the maternity unit at the back of the site. The same applies to the psychiatric unit, which is literally nestled in the folds of the site, thus providing patients with the necessary peace and privacy.
David Labeau, architect partner and director of the Healthcare department at assar architects, says: "The planning is currently set up so that we want to deliver the project within six years. The task entrusted to our team is very broad and multifaceted, so we have surrounded ourselves with numerous specialists and consultants. After the strategic plan in 2020, the general programming and outline design were finalized in 2021. Currently, we are fully engaged in the functional programming of services, preliminary design and various permits."
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