With Nobel I and a new parking facility, UZ Gent prepares for the construction of its new hospital

Project U, the extensive construction and renovation initiative for the UZ Gent campus, is reaching several important milestones this month. The new Nobel I building is now operational and houses five departments. Additionally, the new parking facility for staff will open this Monday, relocating a significant portion of staff traffic to the campus periphery. Sweco, in collaboration with UZ Gent, is the master planner and designer of the future central hospital and is also overseeing its realization.

This spring marks a pivotal moment in the realization of Project U. With the completion of the new buildings, we can finalize the necessary preparations and relocations to commence excavation for the new hospital this summer.

prof. Frank Vermassen, CEO

A modern new parking facility

Alongside Nobel I, a new parking facility has been constructed over the past year for staff at the edge of the campus. Designed with eight levels, this facility accommodates 1,818 vehicles, including 41 spaces for disabled persons, and is equipped with ample charging stations.

Stijn Van Daele, Head of Mobility and Security, highlights the strategic importance of the facility’s location for optimizing campus traffic flow: “Staff will primarily use the roundabout near the highway to enter and exit the facility, reducing traffic within the campus. In a few years, when patients and visitors park beneath the new hospital, the campus will transform into a low-traffic environment with abundant green spaces, cycling paths, and pedestrian walkways.”

Major works planned for 2025

In the coming weeks and months, the final preparatory works will be carried out to commence construction of the new hospital, as well as the building for Radiotherapy, Emergency Psychiatry, and energy management.

Petra Demoor, construction program manager, outlines the next steps: “We will soon demolish the old ICT building next to the visitor entrance, making way for a wider access complex for patients and visitors. We will also relocate the entrance to the central parking facility. These adjustments will pave the way for the initial excavation of the underground parking beneath the new hospital. This summer, you will start seeing cranes appear on-site.”

This phase marks a crucial step in the development of UZ Gent. Between the existing wings, Sweco’s multidisciplinary team of architects, engineers, and other experts is designing a central hospital with a timeless and elegant architectural style. Traffic will be largely redirected underground, allowing the open spaces to be transformed into a park-like setting.

Simon Ossieur, project manager at Sweco, affirms: “The result will be an innovative, intelligent, and carbon-neutral campus, ready for the future.”