Old residential care site in new look

Residential care facility Sint-Antonius in Peer was in dire need of an upgrade. The original plan was renovation, but it soon became clear that renovation was the only option. The big challenge here was the comfort of the residents, who continued to live at the site all that time.

That concern for resident comfort was one of the reasons why VitaS, the umbrella organization of residential care centers in the region, chose to partner with the Houben company. Chris Demulder, general manager of VitaS, puts it this way: "In this extensive construction project, which was spread over three phases, we wanted to work with a partner who does not just follow up, but thinks two steps ahead. Therefore, we were looking for a general contractor who would take on the complete coordination of the works and keep a close eye on the cost picture, but at the same time would also be open to other people's ideas and help think about possible opportunities."

The Houben Company is a family business with a rich history. Since 1932, the company has been continuously operating at the top of the construction industry. Houben is known as a versatile and reliable total partner for both construction techniques and new construction and renovation in the public and private sector, but also for restoration and aftercare. And by total, she also means total. Although the projects the firm completes are not the least, it proclaims that "execution is only one piece of the entire construction puzzle after all. As complex as that puzzle is, Houben takes everything off your hands from start to finish. The team turns every construction project into something unique and focuses on innovative and sustainable building processes, products and techniques. Het Perrehof residential care center perfectly embodies Houben's philosophy and values: sustainability, quality and customer focus.

The success of these and other Houben projects is due to the detailed project preparation and flawless coordination by the in-house project team. It continuously and proactively tracks down potential bottlenecks and provides ongoing advice and expertise, resulting in minimal concerns and maximum time savings for the customer. On the shop floor, the construction teams also operate according to the lean principle. This results in increased control, flexibility and a constant quality trajectory. An approach that also bore fruit on the site of wzc Het Perrehof.

Demulder looks back on a very intense but successful collaboration: "Even during the challenging corona crisis, the company guaranteed continuous and very adequate follow-up and flexibility. It shifted up a gear when the demand suddenly came from the government to hastily equip an almost finished building as a switching care center. What we also greatly appreciated was that the predetermined schedule was completely revised just to avoid having to move our residents twice in as many years."

This healthcare campus should feel like a home full of modern comfort not only today, but also for generations to come. That is why Houben chose innovative building materials with, of course, great attention to energy consumption. Based on this vision, the architects from archipelago and study bureau Macobo-Stabo chose the flexible floor system from Houben sister company Airdeck Building Concepts and air-conditioning by means of concrete core activation, realized by Future Clima. This innovative technology for cooling and heating, combined with energy supply with solar panels, makes this building futureproof. 

Since the end of last year, the upgrade of the old residential care site is a fact. In the middle of the green surroundings just outside the city center of Peer, four brand-new residential units now stand on the old Sint-Antonius site, with all comfort and contemporary amenities. Building during the extremely challenging corona crisis in a construction zone with vulnerable residents whose lives had to go on as usual was no easy task. Yet Houben managed to excel in flexibility and efficiency. Wzc Het Perrehof is just one of many examples of how Houben works every day to create construction projects with a strong focus on customer focus, quality and innovation.