Medical Center Bles by OFFICEU Architects: Adaptive Reuse of Industrial Heritage for Holistic Healthcare in Brussels

Located in the heart of Laken, a district in Brussels, Medical Center Bles by OFFICEU architects transforms the former horse stables of the historic Hollandia dairy factory into a vibrant, multi-functional healthcare hub. This adaptive reuse project skillfully bridges the past and present, introducing a community-centered medical facility that supports both physical and mental well-being.

From Industrial Past to Community Health Hub

Designed with social inclusion, urban regeneration, and adaptive reuse architecture at its core, Medical Center Bles reinvents the site’s industrial shell into a dynamic and inclusive space. The original elongated volumes with distinctive wooden roof trusses, dating back to the early 20th century, have been preserved and subtly reinterpreted.

OFFICEU architects respected the building’s original structural logic, integrating new “pockets” of space to house a general medical practice, paramedical facilities, and flexible community spaces. The design is reversible and sustainable, maintaining the brick floors, rough finishes, and stable markers that evoke the building’s rich rural-industrial history.

A Flexible Framework for Health and Inclusion

The architects organized the space around an internal “street,” a reimagined public axis that guides users through an enfilade of rooms, creating zones of varying intimacy—from private consultation areas to communal gathering spaces. This inner street is more than circulation—it’s a sheltered spine for social interaction, accommodating intergenerational exchange, preventive care, aftercare, and community-based initiatives.

By tailoring the project to meet evolving community needs, the design embraces social care architecture, placing an emphasis on vulnerable populations, poverty reduction, and mental health awareness.

Light, Nature, and Material Warmth

To foster a sense of wellness and calm, the project uses natural materials, a soft color palette, and ample daylight. Two internal patios were created by removing sections of the original roof, introducing light, ventilation, and greenery into the building’s core. These spaces recall the atriums and hortus gardens of ancient Roman homes—sanctuaries of healing within the architectural envelope.

Privacy and connectivity are finely balanced through carefully planned buffer zones and filtered visual connections, encouraging interaction while respecting the need for quiet, secure spaces.

Holistic Health Design for the Future

Medical Center Bles addresses the spectrum of health—not as a binary condition but as a fluid, lifelong journey. By offering diverse services in a structure that encourages adaptive use and architectural continuity, the project becomes more than a medical facility—it acts as a neighborhood catalyst for care, community, and cohesion.

As the second phase of construction continues in 2024, the center will evolve further, enhancing its role as a flexible, future-proof medical architecture project rooted in cultural heritage.

All the photographs are works of Stijn Bollaert