Care home, Huise-Zingem (Belgium) by Sergison Bates Architects

An English view on Flemish tradition

Sergison Bates architects have earned a reputation as one of the UK’s leading architectural practices, having successfully engaged with all dimensions of architectural and urban design rather than focusing on specialisms.

They are currently involved in a wide range of projects at different scales, ranging from urban planning and regeneration to public buildings and housing in the UK and mainland Europe. Recently they were responsible for the development of a care home in Huise-Zingem, Belgium.

Huise is a rural village set in an agricultural landscape, identifiable from a distance on a bank of high ground marked by tree-lined borders. The care home seeks to engage with this environment, the neoclassical architecture of the main building on the site and the brick wall that marks the boundary.

A three-storey building is organized into three adjoining volumes around two central courtyards and set within landscaped grounds. The volumes are stepped in plan to reduce the impact of what is in reality the largest building in the village.

Externally, the strong horizontal emphasis of the volumes responds to the walled garden environment and to the flat polder landscape beyond it. Precast concrete rails at each floor level project beyond the building envelope on all elevations, and between them wide brick panels and full height window assemblies create a repetitive order.

The use of brickwork embodies qualities the residents are familiar with. It helps to create an atmosphere that is unlike that of a conventional ‘institutional’ setting and contributes to creating a feeling of home.

To emphasize this aspect even more Sergison Bates architects chose to source the brickworks Locally at our factory. Continuing this taught the Minature green-grey brick is coursed in a ‘broken bond’ pattern following a Flemish tradition.

This gives a varied texture, which emphasises the ‘brickness’ of the wall and ensures that no cut bricks are wasted. In line with their general approach the bond was drawn out schematically to assure a perfect result.

Comparable case studies

The old gasworks in Lier

As the name suggests, the project is situated on the site of the old gasworks on the outskirts of Lier.