General Hospital Mary Middelares, Ghent, Belgium

The AZ Mary Middelares Hospital is a fusion between the AZ Mary Middelares and St. Joseph hospitals in Gent. As a condition of this merger, the government required that the new organisation be housed in one location. For the design of the new building, the hospital set up a competition. Based on years of expertise in designing for the healthcare sector, the international group of architects, DHA architects from The Netherlands, was selected along with LLOX from Belgium. The building has a clear structure with three components, which together form a U. The main entrance to the central hall forms the cross-link between the legs of the U. The key concepts include patient-oriented, innovative, contemporary, open and airy.

Other key features incorporate expandability and adaptability, optimum walking space, logistics and sustainability. This design is built around the patient and allows for mostly single patient rooms, which are bathed in daylight. Sustainable aspects include the green roofs, which not only insulate, but also slow the drainage of rainwater. Materials chosen for the interior and exterior ensure a warm atmosphere, and the building is also designed to be able to respond to future structural changes. Overall, a flexible, innovative building that beckons entrance.

Facts
Function
General & acute care hospital

Client
AZ Maria Middelares

Size
64 800 m2

Beds
630