Huizeken van Nazareth

project characteristics

The Huizeken van Nazareth nursing home is located in the Sint-Antoniusstraat, in the heart of the historic city centre and a stone’s throw from the famous police tower.

The care campus consists of several wings surrounding one of Antwerp’s largest indoor gardens. Each wing has been systematically adapted to meet contemporary requirements for care, comfort and accessibility. The client has also invested in sustainable energy, green roofs, a modern makeover, a better experience of the space, additional comfort measures, and quicker care assistance made possible by a new logistical link between the wings.

The timber frame construction creates space on the top floor for three additional assisted living units with a care room. To accommodate the increased capacity, the brewery was expanded into a Grand Café, with a library, large sliding windows overlooking the inner garden, and a new hotel look.

This gives the whole campus an elegant and modern image, where openness, transparency, and integration into the neighbourhood are emphasised. A real home for residents who can still live independently, with the possibility of staying there for a lifetime in the context of the rest and care home.

environment

The environment has always been taken into account, both in terms of form and function and in the scope of the work. This is reflected, among other things, in the modest height of the extension, which, in terms of rhythm, is reminiscent of the façade in its current state. Residents who have a view from above enjoy the additional greenery in the interior area, with the green roof

use of materials

• renovation & reinforcement of the existing concrete frame and masonry
• new construction above the wing, & construction of a timber frame
• durable PVC flooring or natural 44×66 stone tiles, with concrete look
• textured wallpaper in soft tones on each floor
• rubberwood accents & furniture
• white plastered facade & bluestone skirting (ground floor)
• exterior joinery & curtain wall: aluminium profiles
• roofs: EPDM with green roof finish

brewery

The existing brewery is in the centre of the ground floor and borders the indoor area. It is primarily a meeting place, where residents receive family and friends in a relaxed atmosphere. The brewery is accessible from both sides of the care/nursing home. The doors to the inner garden are automatic sliding doors without a sill. The wide central circulation axis in the brewery has been retained. The extension offers even more space to manoeuvre between the furniture with wheelchairs and walking aids.

just a little more

Amate NPO and assar architects have been partners for several years in the construction of various projects in the province of Antwerp. To provide the same look & feel for existing and new care facilities. The NPO asked assar to develop a proposal for branding, or in other words, to think beyond the architecture and the interior.
This was no easy task, given the very different size, location, and style of the various projects: from a new building with the reuse of a chapel in the countryside of Wuustwezel, to the renovation of an old nursing home and the renovation of a large care campus in the heart of Antwerp.

The house style, the logo, the signage, the entrance, and the reception form the framework of the proposal. Moodboards and renderings illustrate the application of branding in three possible styles: metropolitan, rural, and contemporary. In each style, the individuality of the group remains clearly recognisable.

The client chose to apply the first style in all Amate NPO projects, always with an ultimate goal in mind: to create a warmly welcoming home for the residents, a pleasant working environment for the staff, and a friendly welcome for visitors. This is also reflected in the result: a personal style that makes the Amate group recognisable and gives it a distinctive character.