The Vaartkom in Louvain is an old industrial site that is currently being developed into a hip and lively urban neighbourhood. Orthogroep Opdebeeck & Preda also chose to relocate their well-known city centre based practice in the new urban development. With a glass façade, 30 m wide by 3.5 m high, it has a wide view of the new sitting mound, the marina & the Balk van Beel. It immediately provides us with this project’s most important feature; namely that staff and patients can enjoy an abundance of daylight and a view that supplies oxygen from the practice. This is how we like to put an end to the dull doctor's office that, without any link to the outside world, makes all sense of time and reality disappear.
2025
Orthodontics Leuven - Belgium
Orthodontics Leuven - Belgium
Nice detail: thanks to semi-transparent curtains, the view or the amount of sunlight can be toned down, depending on the season and time of day. Our commitment to openness here is also reflected in other fine details, such as the latticework between the practice rooms, which in their own unique way maintain the balance between transparency and privacy.
An interior with customisation
Entering the orthodontics practice, you arrive at the reception desk, which was conceived as a trendy hotel lobby with a rounded sofa and seating niche. The extensive customisation was further extended to three consecutive open practice rooms and one closed private cabin. Crafting the curved metal partitions was a tremendous feat of craftsmanship, but well worth the exercise given the sophistication the sleek design brings. Finally, our interior design made room for an enclosed back office with kitchenette. Needless to say, in an orthodontics practice with metre-long glass facade, air-conditioning and acoustics are important features to consider. In this respect, we worked not only on technical innovation, but also on clever concealment.
Entering the orthodontics practice, you arrive at the reception desk, which was conceived as a trendy hotel lobby with a rounded sofa and seating niche. The extensive customisation was further extended to three consecutive open practice rooms and one closed private cabin. Crafting the curved metal partitions was a tremendous feat of craftsmanship, but well worth the exercise given the sophistication the sleek design brings. Finally, our interior design made room for an enclosed back office with kitchenette. Needless to say, in an orthodontics practice with metre-long glass facade, air-conditioning and acoustics are important features to consider. In this respect, we worked not only on technical innovation, but also on clever concealment.
Furthermore, we also opted for a balanced mix of technical and decorative lighting, and in addition to the cool white which is so typical of medical rooms, we added some pizzazz through the supporting colour pine green, the preservation of the robust construction and the grain in the poly concrete. This allowed us to design and furnish a high-end orthodontic practice that goes the extra mile in terms of innovative interior design in addition to practical comfort.
Photos: Thomas De Bruyne
