HISTORY

1999: Merger of Maria Middelares and Sint Jozef hospitals
2000: Approval of the strategic plan for the merged hospital
2001: The Ministry of Public Health recommends bringing all the acute care departments together on one campus at the Kortrijksesteenweg. It will consist of 617 beds of which 100 will be used for the outpatients’ clinic.
2002 - 2003: Two extra parcels are added to the existing lot to make the new development possible. 

ARCHITECTURE

The building will consist of three blocks. One will be parallel to the R4 (the block for ambulatory patients) and a second one will be parallel to Maaltebeek (the medical technical block). The third block (beds block) will be constructed diagonally on top of the two other blocks. In between them an atrium will be created.

This atrium is aimed at patients as well as for visitors. All necessary facilities are situated near the atrium. The vertical circulation is concentrated in one group of four visitor elevators, located centrally in the atrium.
Its structure is very unambiguous, with a clear transition from the public to the private zone (street, car park, entrance hall, atrium, hospital department, patient’s room). Part of the greenery in the site will have to be cleared for the construction of the new campus. To compensate for this, however, a green area will be created where the old hospital is now. The intention is to create a green environment for the new hospital. 

URBAN DEVELOPMENT

A master plan for the whole site will be developed as soon as the urban development certificate n°2 has been issued.
Next to the hospital there is a nursing school, a day-care centre and a convent. The site is situated near a junction on the ring road and an important approach road. One of the aspects of the plan is to encourage people to use public transport. To this end, a promenade will be developed, which connects the hospital and the tram stop in Kortrijksesteenweg and which will allow public transport buses to enter the campus with a stop at the hospital’s entrance.
The double entry and exit ramp to the ring road will be connected with the car parks on the campus. These are located under the promenade and the entrance and will be partly covered. The non-covered car parks will not be visible, as they are situated one level below ground level. Further developments can easily be added to this structure.