312-Restructuring of the Brugmann Hospital

– Architecture
– Construction management
– Interior design
– Landscaping
– Mechanical, electrical, plumbing engineering
– Project management
– Quantity surveying
– Structural engineering

 2003.02.16

The Brugmann hospital is a low-rise, multi-wing hospital located in a park in Northwest Brussels. The original buildings were designed by Victor Horta.
Since their construction in 1907 – 1923, they have been modified, for better or worse, to meet the requirements of a modern hospital; many extensions have been tacked on the original structure, and new wings have further clogged the site.

This winning project represents an opportunity to review the overall design of the hospital to ensure present and future functionality, to preserve Victor Horta’s original architecture, and to create unity among the various buildings on the site. The project proposes to meet these objectives while keeping the multi-wing structure as well as maintaining the hospital function of the Horta buildings.

Certain recent wings and most of the extensions are demolished. The new extensions required for the hospital functions have a very light and transparent design, using glass roofs, to preserve Horta’s architecture in its centre. The polyclinic is located in the ten central wings connected by glassed-in patient reception areas leading on to the double corridors of the consultation rooms.

The patients’ rooms require the most demanding spatial design and are the most difficult to place in the old buildings. For this reason, most of them are located in five new wings constructed on two floors over an underground level, housing all the technical-medical services of the hospital. This basement level is lit by large patios and a glass lined gallery.

Due to the size of the five new wings, three rear wings of Horta’s E pavilion are demolished, but the gallery and the other wings of the pavilion facing the park are maintained.

The technical-medical services and most of the rooms are strategically placed between:
– the original C wing to the South housing the operating theatres and emergency rooms, intensive care and out-patient clinics,
– the Reine Fabiola children’s hospital to the North, conveniently linked to the maternity ward;
– architect Lacoste’s wing to the west, which holds the laboratories and library;
– the polyclinic to the east.

The geriatric and rehabilitation units for older and longer-term patients are moved to the “Bloc Blanc”, a quieter area to the East of the site.

The main reception is centrally located facing the main entrance, in the basement of one of the original pavilions. It gives easy access to all of the hospital services (which also have separate exterior entrances) via a network of tunnels. A parking lot is conveniently located next to the main entrance. The underground parking lot is lit with daylight from above, filtering through the transparent roof at the bottom of a pool. Out-patient, in patient and visitor traffic are kept separate.

Phase 1 : 2 new standardised wings Phase 2 : Laboratories – FMRE building (refurbishment) Phase 3 (phase without illustration) : Offices in the former Director’s House (refurbishment, extension project) Phase 4 : New cogeneration building Phase 5 : Revalidation and Geriatrics – M-N pavilion (refurbishment) Phase 6 : Conference centre – former chapel (restoration refurbishment) Phase 7 : Gastrology – C pavilion (refurbishment) Phase 8 : New 5th floor – Children’s Hospital Phase 9 : 3 new standardized wings Phase 10 : New building for Pediatric wards, Maternity wards and Surgical unit Phase 11 : New Outpatient’s department building Phase 12 : Refurbishing of the entrance area Phase 13 : New electrical power supply pavilion Phase 14 : Extension of the 1st floor – Intensive Care Unit – Children’s Hospital Phase 15 (phase without illustration) : New open gallery between pavilions He and Hf Phase 16 : New gas storage pavilion Phase 17 : Refurbishment of J Pavilion

Architecture
Lead designer : Ph. Samyn
Partners in charge : D. Mélotte, Q. Steyaert

Associates :
Architectural competition and preliminary design :
Th. Andersen, S. Beeken, A. Charon, E. Collignon, D. Carrion, B. Counson, B. Darras, K. De Mulder, A. d’Udekem d’Acoz, F. el Sayed, L. Finet, C. Geldof, Th. Henrard, R. Kaljouw, G. Lemaigre, J. Y. Naimi, N. Neuckermans, T. Provoost, J.L. Rodriguez Samper , J. F. Roger France, V. Steyaert, B. Thimister, C. Zureck

Phase 1 :
2 new standardised wings
F. Berleur, B. Calcagno, B. Counson, F. el Sayed, L. Finet, L. Gestels, S. Godemont, R. Houben, A. Khoei, S. Lauwerys, R. Richard, C. Stalmans, J.
Terwecoren, Th. Van de Casteele, L. Vandevelde, Th. Vandeweyer, M. Veldekens

Phase 2 :
Laboratories – FMRE building (refurbishment)
L. Lebbink, A. Maccianti, R. Richard, M. Veldekens

Phase 3 :
Offices in the former Director’s House (refurbishment, extension project)
L. Finet, Ph. Gaube, A. Khoei, L. Lebbink

Phase 4 :
New cogeneration building
A. Khoei, L. Lebbink

Phase 5 :
Revalidation and Geriatrics – M-N pavilion (refurbishment)
B. Counson, J. Darquennes, R. Richard, K. Verkaik, Th. Van de Casteele

Phase 6 :
Conference centre – former chapel (restoration refurbishment)
M. Alonso Kiefer, F. Clesse, M. Van Rossen, K. Verkaik, A. Vollmar

Phase 7 :
Gastrology – C pavilion (refurbishment)
B. Counson, L. Lebbink, A. Maccianti

Phase 8 :
New 5th floor – Children’s Hospital
M. Alonso Kiefer, F. Clesse, J. Darquennes, N. Hosna, J. F. Joiret

Phase 9 :
3 new standardized wings
M. Alonso Kiefer, F. Clesse, J. Darquennes, Ph. Gaube, V. Holvoet, N. Hosna, K. Koch, L. Lebbink, E. Louis, Th. Manche, H. Öztürk, R. Richard, Th. Van de Casteele

Phase 10 :
New building for Pediatric wards, Maternity wards and Surgical unit
T. Cooreman, D. Gundes, V. Holvoet, N. Hosna, N. l’Abbate, J. Raman, S. Tourbach, K. Verkaik

Phase 11 :
New Outpatient’s department building
Y. Chen, A.-L. Coelhoz, A. Colback, I. Carton de Tournai, A. de Gottal, A. El Bouzakhi, L. Ferreira, D. Gundes, V. Holvoet, N. Hosna, C. Stuerebaut

Phase 12 :
Refurbishing of the entrance area
F. Clesse

Phase 13 :
New electrical power supply pavilion
M. Alonso Kiefer, Th. Vandeweyer

Phase 14 :
Extension of the 1st floor – Intensive Care Unit – Children’s Hospital
M. Alonso Kiefer

Phase 15 :
New open gallery between pavilions He and Hf
O. Rousseau, Th. Van de Casteele

Phase 16 :
New gas storage pavilion
M. Alonso Kiefer, G. Stevens

Phase 17 :
Refurbishment of J Pavilion
M. Alonso Kiefer

In association with :
B.E.A.I. sa
C. Goelhen, V. Wauthy, F. Sury, B. Genart, G. Rutsaert

Consulting Engineer
SETESCO sa
Structural engineer

ATENCO sa
Building services engineer (Project Phase 1)

F.T.I. sa
Building services engineer (Execution Phase 1, HVAC part Project Phase 2)

ELLYPS sa
Building services engineer (Electrical, Sanitary, Medical fluids parts Project Phase 2)

T.G.I. sa
Building services engineer (HVAC, Electrical, Sanitary, Médical fluids parts Execution Phase 2)

• MEMOIRES DE LA CLASSE DES BEAUX ARTS, Académie Royale de Belgique, 3rd serie, part XII, thesis n° 1979; 1997, pp. 31-56; acts of the Horta colloquium, Palais des Académies, November 20 1996; (Belgium).