ROYAL KENTALIS SINT-MICHIELGESTEL

For more than 220 years Kentalis has been the leading specialist in diagnosis, care, and education for people who have hearing and communication disabilities due to being deafblind, deaf, or hearing impaired. The open space of the existing Jozefzaal on the first floor has been refurbished, while the monumental character and the exceptional height of the roof construction have been maintained.

CONTEMPORARY SOLUTION WITH RESPECT FOR THE PAST

A contemporary solution was found for the existing main building, which is respectful of the past yet carries the space into the present by creating a modern working environment for the employees and clients of Koninklijke Kentalis. To avoid detracting from the impressive monumental architecture, and to keep it tangible and visible, ZENBER has placed three freestanding volumes in the open space, which serve as meeting rooms and places for work requiring concentration. The precise placement has resulted in spaces with human proportions while also creating zones, some of which offer stillness (work areas) and others increased dynamics (communication), corresponding to the activities for which they are intended. The volumes are topped with an acoustic edge or cap, and differ in height. This creates a playful interaction of volumes, shape, and colour. Not only do these ‘caps’ have a characteristic shape, they also soften the architecture and contribute to more agreeable acoustics.