Europe's
rapidly aging population is giving architects a constant stream of
opportunities for creating modern and comfortable environments for the
elderly. The new Heiveld retirement center
near Ghent, Belgium, provides an interesting example. A low-rise
complex of two-story buildings, Heiveld houses about 240 residents over
the age of 60. The facility is managed by OCMW, a local governmental
organization.
The initial building design
specified relatively large areas of glazing on the sun-facing facades
to provide daylighting and attractive views for residents. Soon after
the building opened, however, residents and employees started
experiencing overheating and glare issues. As a result, OCMW architect
Jean-Marie van Heste began working with a Dutch team of solar-control
experts from Hunter Douglas. Since residents are largely sedentary, it
was also vital the system did not obstruct visibility to the
surrounding landscape.More > |
