ZEMST
Residential care centre for the elderly
- Location
- Zemst
- Clients
- OCMW Zemst
- Program
- residential care centre, local service centre, bistro, social services
- Surface
- 8.300 m2
- Budget
- 21,5M
- Phase
- invited competition
- Collaboration
- Latitude
- Year
- 2025
The residential care center the elderly in Zemst, located on the boundary between the town center and the agricultural landscape, is outdated and no longer meets contemporary standards for elderly care. Therefore, OCMW Zemst plans to construct a new residential care center with 92 housing units next to the existing building. In addition, the historic building on the same site will be renovated into a multifunctional facility housing a local service center and OCMW services. Both buildings will share functions such as a central kitchen and bistro, making an efficient and comfortable connection between them essential.
In our design, the existing enclosing wall is used as a key asset. It not only provides a sense of security and enclosure for the care center and its residents but also enhances the legibility of the site. A central corridor that connects all functions follows this wall, strengthening the cohesion between the buildings in terms of both materiality and accessibility.
The relationship between the new residential care center and the historic building is further reinforced through the design of a high-quality open space that acts as a unifying element within the site. This space is conceived both as a safe and sheltered environment for residents and as an inviting, publicly accessible area that encourages interaction with the neighborhood and contributes to the creation of a caring community.
To respond to the need for small-scale, homelike living, the care center is divided into four building volumes of three floors each. Each floor accommodates housing units for eight residents, who share a common living space. The rooms are designed as studios with a private bathroom and seating area, allowing residents to enjoy privacy within a collective living environment. Terraces around the volumes provide both the studios and the common living space with a nearby outdoor space. The four volumes are connected via the central corridor and two circulation cores, enabling the care center to function logistically as a single, coherent entity.
Both the extension for the historic building and the care center are conceived as a wooden structure. Natural, renewable materials improve living quality and inherently contribute to a sense of calm, warmth and cosiness, qualities that are particularly important in a residential care setting.
