How do we integrate a large hospital into the urban fabric?

The CHwapi hospital centre is located in a residential neighbourhood along Tournai’s ring road. Given its scale and position, the hospital assumes an important social role. It acts as a catalyst for neighbourhood development and as a meeting place where joys and sorrows are shared in the heart of an urban park. In doing so, the project strengthens the bond between residents and their hospital.

A generous public square forms the link between the city and the surrounding parks. It provides space for soft mobility and participatory activities. No car traffic is allowed here: on the lower parking deck, drop-off and taxi zones are directly accessible from the main road. Patios cut through the different levels, drawing natural light deep into the car park.

The public main entrance is designed as a three-storey atrium, housing the central reception, shops and food services. This space forms the backbone of the project. Visitors intuitively find their way here, including towards the directly accessible outpatient facilities.

The hospital is bathed in natural light, reducing the need for artificial lighting. Waiting areas and circulation spaces are grouped in the plinth, around gardens and patios. The geometry of the care units above is carefully studied to offer patients generous views while keeping walking distances for caregivers to a minimum. Planting and natural ventilation - whenever the climate allows - ensure comfort and lower energy demand.

The selected materials reinforce the hospital’s welcoming character. The largely glazed ground floor façade alternates with wooden cladding. The volumes set on top of the plinth are wrapped in a sleek glass-and-aluminium skin that reflects changing daylight. Light colours and natural materials such as wood and stone give the infrastructure a calm, soothing atmosphere.

We approach the hospital as a living organism in constant evolution. CHwapi’s infrastructure is therefore designed to be flexible and durable, allowing spaces and functions to be reconfigured without undermining the basic principles of organisation and flow. The modular layout and strategic positioning of key links are tailored to highly automated logistics using automated guided vehicles (AGVs). This enables a wide range of configurations within the departments. All spaces are designed according to evidence-based design principles and anticipate innovative management methods.

In parallel, the entire project is developed according to a collaborative BIM protocol. All studies are proactively coordinated through a shared model and monitoring interface. An interactive as-built model supports the centralised management of operations and maintenance.

Thanks to this integrated approach and strategic location, CHwapi drives new developments in Tournai. New connections and meeting places emerge. Informed by scientific research, both the programme and the spatial modularity have been optimised, so that the building conveys efficiency and hospitality in equal measure.