All the wards were also given a spacious living room with an open kitchen for eating, watching television, for entertainment, you name it. Each of the living rooms was equipped with an outdoor balcony on which to enjoy the sunlight and contact with the enclosed garden on sunny days. The nursing stations connect directly to the living rooms.

Most of the hallways end at a small rest area overlooking the enclosed garden or surrounding public space, so they are naturally lit and residents can experience sun and outdoor activity at any time. In the enclosed garden itself, residents can socialise with their companions on the cafeteria terrace, or stroll among various green spaces.

Warm, durable materials

The facade was made of glued bricks and aluminium exterior joinery, for reasons of sustainability and to reduce (maintenance) costs. We finished the floors of the rooms with a heterogeneous plastic with a wood pattern for a warm, homely feeling. One of the room walls was each time finished with textured wallpaper in an accent colour, the rest was painted in a light colour. The corridors were given a synthetic floor and handrails along both sides.

Modern techniques

The rooms are heated with radiators, all other rooms are equipped with floor heating. Furthermore, the living areas are equipped with a cooling system, all rooms are ventilated according to ventilation type D – balanced ventilation with heat recovery – and each room has its own shower, fed by a circulation network and heated by a solar water heater on the roof of the residential care centre. To save energy, the lighting in the common areas and bathrooms is controlled by motion sensors. Of course, all rooms are also equipped with a care call system with touchscreen and radio.