New medical skills centre , Leuven/ Belgien

Press release by Atelier Kempe Thill, November 30, 2021

STEPS KU LEUVEN, LEUVEN, BE
ATELIER KEMPE THILL RECENTLY WON FIRST PRIZE AT AN INVITED COMPETITION FOR A NEW MEDICAL SKILLS CENTRE IN LEUVEN, BELGIUM.

The new skills and training centre at KU Leuven is a high-tech learning environment for medical staff. In addition to teaching rooms, the building houses virtual reality and augmented reality operating rooms. Various practice rooms for medical treatments in a circle form will also be available. The STEPS project is located at the edge of the Gasthuisberg campus in Leuven. The location is prominent on the ring boulevard - the main access to the campus. The new building is functionally designed as an extension of the O&N2 building but also manifests itself as a new landmark for the training institute. The building is characterised by very flexible, freely divisible high floors, which allow it to easily anticipate future changes in educational concepts. At ground level, the central entrance hall is also used as an informal learning environment and a café. The façades of the building react to optimize the different spatial qualities in order to achieve optimal conditions for the indoor climate and outside views. While the ones to the east, south and west are fairly closed and have integrated sun blinds, the northern façade opens up with a fully glazed wall. This allows the landscape profile of the green mountain Kabouterberg on the other side of the building, to become a part of the interior.

Client: KU Leuven
Location: Leuven, Belgium
Status: 1st prize invited competition
Design team: Atelier Kempe Thill architects and planners, Rotterdam in
collaboration with Sweco (HVAC engineers) and BAS (structural engineers).

Renderings: Sugarvisuals