PPS Care Housing Site Zwartzustersvest

The design for the Zwartzustersvest care housing site in Mechelen, commissioned by Zorgbedrijf Rivierenland, weaves care, housing, and public space into a refined urban ensemble. Three care buildings — BUHNE, VLIET & VEST, and HEIR — structure the new Vlietplein, reshaping the historical fabric around the reopened Vliet. In parallel, Van Roey Vastgoed develops a private housing programme along the canal and the Vesten, firmly anchoring the site within its urban context. The public realm unfolds as a sequence of gardens, squares, and passages, including the intimate Hoving and the cultural Schouwburgpark. Landscape and water management are integral components of the design, with a strong focus on biodiversity and climate adaptation. Architecturally, the project forms a coherent whole of brick, concrete, and finely detailed steel elements, balancing robustness and subtlety. Designed by Areal Architecten, 360 Architecten, and HUB, it embodies a contemporary vision of urban care living: small-scale, human-centred, and efficiently organised. Images: www.jorisbourgois.be