
Regional Hospital Heilig Hart
The RH Heilig Hart Tienen wants to combine the two outdated campuses Mariëndal and St.-Jan in an innovative and sustainable new construction project. The hospital’s design rests on five touchstones. These are linked to the general mission and vision of RZ H. Hart Tienen: efficiency, flexibility, experience, sustainability and innovation.
- Client
- RZ Heilig Hart
- Architect
- VK architects+engineers, part of Sweco
- Location
- Tienen
- Period
- 2020-2027
- Expertises
- Architecture, MEP, Structural Engineering, Sustainable Design, Digital Engineering, Fire Safety Engineering, Acoustical Engineering, Facade Engineering
- Services
- Master planning, Life Cycle Cost Analysis, Sustainability Tracking, Feasibility Study, Building Simulations
The RH Heilig Hart Tienen wants to combine the two outdated campuses Mariëndal and St.-Jan in an innovative and sustainable new construction project. The hospital’s design rests on five touchstones. These are linked to the general mission and vision of RZ H. Hart Tienen: efficiency, flexibility, experience, sustainability and innovation.
Layers in a reduced footprint
This flexible health centre was designed with the layers method, dividing the hospital into a hotfloor (medical services), a hotel (nursing units), an office (consultations and administration) and a factory (lab, pharmacy, kitchen, central sterilisation department…). A central verdant atrium contains the reception, waiting areas, meeting and co-working areas and connects the various building components. It also separates the hotel from the hot floor. The ground level contains, besides the hospital reception, some public functions including a restaurant, nursery and home care shop.
With seven storeys, the hospital’s footprint is reduced and efficient circulation ensured.

The hospital’s design rests on five touchstones, which are linked to the general mission and vision of RH Heilig Hart.
Tom Debacker, senior project manager
A pronounced facade and green landscape
The pronounced facade is a continuous band of vertical slats to ensure unity and legibility. It was designed following the principles of “evidence-based”, “performance-based” and “parametric” design.
A 5.5-hectare site includes the redevelopment of urban farmland, the creation of meadows, a new orchard and forest, interwoven with footpaths and cycle paths. Organic flows for pedestrians and cyclists run through the site and anchor the hospital in the urban fabric.


