The police tower in Charleroi (Belgium), by arch. Nouvel and MDW Architecture, has been nominated for a MIPIM-award. VK is the structural engineer of this prominent project. The police tower will be a striking addition to the Charleroi skyline. The MIPIM-awards-jury acknowledges the innovative design, selecting it for the shortlist in the Futura-category. This category deals with projects below 200,000 sqm, to be started between September 2011 and March 2013. Other nominees in this category are Franzina + Partners Architettura, with a residential project in Qatar, and DTACC with a commercial project in Boulogne-Billancourt. VK has a nice track record on MIPIM: Novalis (2000), Mondrian (2005), Belmont Court (2007) and Square (2010) - VK-references that were laureates of a MIPIM-award. The winners will be announced on March 8th.

Bruocsella is a maecenas club of corporations initiated by Prométhéa in 2003 and of which VK is a member since 2006. Each year, the club awards a prize of € 25,000 to contribute to urban projects. For ten years now, the Bruocsella award supports projects related to the improvement of the urban environment in Brussels. Candidate projects must contribute to the creation, renovation or preservation of unclassified buildings. This award is dedicated to citizens who have plans for their city. Previous editions have supported projects such as "Your right to the window" (2011), a participative project aiming at enhancing the facades of the Brussels municipality of Anderlecht, or the "Plantation" project (2010), a project of collective vegetable garden in the Marolles district (Brussels city centre). The history of the winning projects and the procedures for submitting applications are available on the Promethea website. Applications can be submitted before March 30th 2012. The club counts 26 members and Bruocsella is structurally supported by the Secretary of State of the Brussels-Capital Region for Townplanning. Over the years, Bruocsella has become a reference for corporate sponsorship. As a member of Bruocsella, VK supports micro-social projects that have a beneficial effect on the quality of life or that beam out in a neighbourhood.

On January 20th, the Bethany house in Zoersel opened the doors of its brand new psychiatric hospital, a design by VK. In the weekend, the hospital was opened for visits by the public, after which it will be occupied by the inhabitants. The occupation is the start of a restructuring of the entire hospital campus, including soon to be realised landscaping and outside infrastructure. When visiting the site, one very much feels the hospital with its construction sites is on the move. The new hospital for 140 inhabitants restructures the open area and brings an inviting character to the campus. Inside, the building not only shields the inhabitants, but it also offers a healing environment, with much space, light and contact with nature.

On Tuesday, January 10th, the town of Waregem introduced the new and ambitious urban project South Boulevard. Mayor Kurt Vanryckegem showed the press, in the presence of project developer Vanhaerents, architects Robbrecht and Goedefroo and VK business director buildings Dirk Slabbinck, the new public library and residential area. The new town quarter replaces the now vacant senior home "True Home" and will consist of a new public library, architect Robbrecht and Daem, and 72 apartments, architect Goedefroo & Goedefroo. VK engineers the building services and the sustainable solutions that will be integrated into the projects. The entire area will be connected to the retail area "Het Pand" by a promenade boulevard. An underground car park with 400 places will also be constructed. The library, boulevard and car park will be put into service in 2014, the apartments follow in 2015.

The “VinMec International Hospital” in Hanoi (Vietnam) was officially opened on Saturday the 7th of January. This 500-bed hospital covering 80,000 m² is the first project achieved by VK in Vietnam. The hospital was built in a spectacularly short period of just 13 months, of which 3 months for the design and 10 months for the build itself! The design team VK-dwp – both companies have a proven track record in healthcare – are honoured to have been of service to this iconic project. Vingroup – the property contractor – aims to offer top level care with this hospital in the north of Vietnam. The region lacks good hospitals, which means that many Vietnamese have to travel to neighbouring countries in South East Asia for medical care. Thanks to this investment by Vingroup, the local population can now be cared for using high-tech equipment in a modern, functional hospital, supported by a well-trained medical staff. The hospital is located in a new urban development and groups 5 wings around a central boulevard. VK opted for an open architecture on a human scale and integrated the principles that result in a “healing environment” as far as possible. External and internal flexibility must support future changes. At the end of 2011, VK also won the prestigious “World Architecture Festival Award” in the category “Future Health” for the innovative and sustainable concept of the Binh Chanh Pediatric Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.