Auditorium AZ Groeninge

The auditorium is part of a meeting center that is situated on the site of the general hospital of AZ Groeninge in Kortrijk, Belgium. The hospital itself and all of the infrastructure is designed on a strict cartesian grid. Compared to the hospital, the auditorium is only a tiny building, located in a corner of the site. It was the intention of the architects to design a building with its own identity, a building on which the cartesian grid was not imposed. It is a hideout for the staff of the hospital, a place to be away from professional obligations that is well integrated in the green surroundings. The building is distinct, and has a gracious and optimistic elegance. The new building is an extension to an old “villa” that was transformed into a meeting center with six meeting rooms. The new extension holds catering facilities and is equipped with high-end projection technology in the main auditorium. Also, due to its location, it creates a new double entrance to the complex on two different levels. The slope of the main auditorium bridges these different levels. Because of the shape of the walls, placing the bricks vertically on the facade was the most logical way, yet it creates a striking look. The use of the golden doors in the interior is a reference to the old villa. The hall with the main staircase is lit by “Light Blubs,” an artwork of the Dutch designer Pieke Bergmans. The meeting center can be used by approximately 300 visitors and in the main auditorium 230 people can be seated.