In the middle of the leafy Populierenhof residential care complex on the outskirts of the village of Nieuwkerken-Waas, a new residential care ensemble is being built that will form a landscaped gateway to the village. The ensemble will contain 120 special care rooms, 30 sheltered accommodation units, a day care centre for the elderly, out of school care and a social services centre.
The programme is organized around two courtyards and loosely arranged in a new park. The ensemble is traversed by a public path that facilitates informal encounters between residents and visitors. The courtyards are defined by two L-shaped buildings placed diametrically opposite one another. Continuous arcades provide direct access to the sheltered housing units and allow the residents to appropriate the courtyard. The optical separation of the outer corners enhances the spatial legibility of the whole.
The architectural idiom of long and end elevations in red and white brick is in keeping with local tradition. Tiled roofs, tall stair/lift towers and refined brick detailing around the windows combine to give the complex a friendly appearance.