The existing building in Wilrijk is a former office complex, designed by the architectural firm Ryckaerts & Partners in the 1990s and is conceived as an open-plan office. This project involves the renovation of the entire building to include retirement home rooms, assisted living apartments, and the necessary facilities associated with the retirement and care center. To bring light and air throughout the retirement home, the large central patio spanning the building’s four floors will be preserved. This creates an open gathering space on the ground floor around which the entire living area is organized. Instead of a series of long, dark hallways, this creates a very open, airy, and clearly laid-out circulation space, which enhances the building’s overall clarity.

Rooms: 91 beds and 32 assisted-living units