Serrenhof residential care campus in Sint-Truiden

On the Viaductstraat in Sint-Truiden, Orelia is building Serrenhof, a residential care campus that will replace the current residential care centres, La Madrugada and Laurentius. This new construction, which comprises a residential care centre and certified service flats, will provide homes to more than 100 residents by the end of 2019.

Serrenhof is situated in an enclosed area located between the railway, the Rummerweg, the Diestersteenweg and the Viaductstraat. The building was designed in function of its surroundings and is being built around an inner courtyard, which guarantees plenty of indoor natural light.

The building height is restricted, so its impact on the privacy of the residents, as well as on that of the neighbours, is kept to a minimum.

On the Viaductstraat side, the building has a very open character, where the terrace and the cafeteria are directly accessible from a small square planted with native trees. This aspect will have a positive influence on the interactions between the residents and the life in the city. Staff members and residents will be able to park underground. And aboveground, there are plenty of parking spaces planned for visitors.

Important to both the architect and the project leaders was the appearance of the buildings’ concrete finish. As a result of this priority, they decided to work together with Cometal. Technical Advisor Andy Lurquin discussed the various options with the architect and the project leaders. Ultimately, they decided to work with the CICOM large-surface panel.

Cometal and, more specifically, the Cicom panel distinguish themselves from other formwork systems in that this panel contains one single tropical hardwood sheet that measures 3000 X 2400 mm. This unique feature results in a first-rate concrete finish.