The new regional hospital is to optimise the care offer of the Ziekenhuis Netwerk Antwerpen (Hospital Network of Antwerp). An architecture competition for building teams not only had to present a design, but a location as well. The winning building team Kairos – VK – Robbrecht & Daem – Omgeving proposed a central location in a green environment, between Park Spoor Noord, the docks and the city centre.
As a result, much attention was paid to the interaction with the surroundings. Motorised traffic is banned from the site and sent underground, including ambulances and logistical transport. A public care boulevard, functioning as a square for pedestrians and cyclists, anchors the hospital in the urban fabric, through commercial initiatives and the hospital reception on the ground floor.
The actual hospital starts on the first floor, with the exception of the emergency services and logistics on level -1 and the reception on the ground floor. It is divided into critical (medical imagery, operating block, intensive care and burns unit) and non-critical services (day clinic, psychiatric clinic, geriatric day clinic). The public care boulevard is extended onto level +3 as a restaurant and terrace - the public, sheltered outdoor space offers nice views on the city and the port.
From level +8 up to +11, the classic nursing units are situated. Lifted above the city bustle, but with a broad view on the city, the park or the docks - an important contribution to the healing environment. On top of the hospital, the administrative functions will be installed.
The compact building has a small footprint and limits the walking distances within departments. At the same time, the well-considered vertical circulation has separate elevators for priority medical services, for beds transport and for logistics. Furthermore, through relation matrixes, the most important services have been positioned adjacent to one another, minimizing the need for elevator traffic between these services.