Care centre De Zonnewende Meulebeke

De Zonnewende is a new care centre as a result from the fusion of two healthcare partners.  B2Ai designed intimate architecture with modest materials. It will provide residents with a serene and secure environment and blends in completely with its surroundings.

Secure and comfortable living, enjoyment, being cared for in harmony with the environment. These are the guiding principles of this new residential care facility.

It was a challenge to unify the extensive programme with the unique location in an outlying zone within the municipality of Meulebeke. We, therefore, opted for soft and unimposing concept.  The logically readable pattern in relation to the surroundings, combined with an exceptionally detailed use of modest materials, results in intimate architecture with respect for the surrounding area.

The ‘Ramblas’ as a unifying axis
All communal core functions are situated on the ground floor along a unifying axis (the ‘Ramblas’). These functions include the cafeteria with a large covered patio leading to the gardens, the reception, and administration areas, and they provide access to the vertical flow via stairwells and lifts.

Laterally, along the east side of the site, logistics is bundled with a loading and unloading area, the kitchen, and the staff access.

Small-scale residences, efficient residential groups
The group of approximately 150 residents live in small ‘residences’ with 15 rooms, grouped in 4 units surrounding a large outdoor patio. With efficiency in mind, these residences are combined into ‘residential groups’ consisting of two residences, each with a central living area, bathroom, nursing post, and storage rooms. A daytime care facility situated on the ground floor offers views of the front courtyard.

Modest architecture provides tranquillity
A simplistic design, natural materials, and harmonious colours reach out to the surroundings. The exterior of the residences will feature a small-grained, white-beige brick and aluminium joinery, interspersed vertically by wooden awnings and horizontally by concrete bands.

Communal living in light.
The central living areas each have their own private outdoor area, dining area, reading corner, music corner, and TV corner. Smaller sitting areas or junctions are located on the almost identical first and second floors with views of the garden and surrounding area. This allows a rich flow of light into the corridors, without any dark spaces.
The inside of the private rooms complement the tranquillity of the outdoor architecture with soft, healing colour touches from Le Corbusier’s palette and sophisticated lighting. A wall-to-wall sofa invites one to sit and relax or decorate with personal objects.