AZ Jan Portaels

The new hospital building will be smaller than the current one. It will consist of two blocks that form the basis, connected by a high, light entrance. One side accommodates hospitalisations and consultations, while the other side is a high-tech building hosting examinations and procedures, a “hot floor”, emergency department, imaging and an oncological day centre.

Modular design allows flexibility

The construction is maximally flexible due to the modular building concept. A dynamic care environment will be able to adapt to the latest medical innovations as well as the needs and expectations of patients. The entire building will be realised according to the same pattern and dimensions within a ring structure. This allows for rooms to easily be repurposed for new treatment methods, departments to scale up and down smoothly, or for one-way traffic to be introduced during a pandemic or isolation units to be opened.

The building is designed to maximise the wellbeing, recovery, and comfort of patients. For example, this includes the presence of natural light in every room, views of either the city park or the patio, thoughtful use of colour and materials for the interior, the integration of quiet, green spaces throughout the building, and access to rooftop gardens for patients admitted to the palliative and psychiatric wards.

A thoughtful deployment of modern technology will give care staff more time for patient care. The hospital is exploring possibilities such as robots and telemonitoring. A patient portal will provide useful information about medical procedures and the ability for patients to manage their own consultation appointments.

The hospital will also make maximum use of heat recovery and renewable energy sources, i.e. solar energy and underground energy storage via a ground-source heat pump system. There will also be a collection and reuse of rainwater.

The optimisation of logistical flows and the delivery of medications will be explored. For example, there will be a kitchen for each department rather than a central kitchen for the whole hospital. With the shift towards outpatient care, the number of meals prepared is expected to decrease.

In cooperation with Wiegerinck.

Learn more about Sweco’s offer within healthcare architecture.