Vandebos realises award-winning redevelopment of Gasthuis by Martin’s Klooster

“A project where almost everything comes together: new construction, renovation, restoration, high-quality finishing, complex techniques, various foundation and support systems…”, is how managing director Krijn Henrotte and operational manager Renaat Vaesen of Vandebos Algemene Bouwonderneming describe the realisation of Gasthuis by Martin’s Klooster. The Limburg-based family company, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2028, has a lot of expertise in this area and pulled out all the stops to successfully complete this challenge too. Mission accomplished, because the end result is magnificent and even won a Golden Brick award from Bouwunie for project of the year.

Retaining what is historically valuable and supplementing it with compatible new additions: that was the motto when constructing Gasthuis by Martin’s Klooster. “We demolished 80 to 90 percent of the existing structure, but the cellar, the facades and some walls on the ground floor remained. On the level of the entrance areas, we also had to preserve a round window and some vaults. The facades had undergone necessary renovations in recent years, so it required extra work to restore them to their former glory. We reconstructed the missing natural stone elements with vertical infill masonry. This was done under the guise of ‘honest restoration,’ whereby the architect intentionally wants to highlight which parts of the building have been renewed. Also, note the unpointed masonry in the cellar, which is clearly distinguishable from the cleaned original bricks,” explain Krijn Henrotte and Renaat Vaesen.

Numerous architectural challenges

To bear the additional loads from the new additions, including the storey housing the hotel rooms – complete with a standing seam zinc roof, which was fully modelled in 3D beforehand – Vandebos carried out heavy foundation works. “One of the many structural challenges that made this project rather special,” according to Renaat Vaesen. “For instance, there's a historic ice cellar beneath the building, which also had to be publicly accessible. On the ground floor, the ceilings are five to six metres high, and we evoked the classicist grandeur of yesteryear using concrete and plasterboard elements, combined with a high-end interior finish featuring a rich mix of colours, shapes, and textures.”

“Technically, this project was also a considerable challenge, with a geothermal HVAC installation, a specific heating and cooling demand, and techniques that we had to seamlessly integrate into the building itself,” adds Krijn Henrotte. “Finally, there were many works taking place simultaneously on the site, which also made it a challenging puzzle in terms of planning and logistics. Throughout our 98-year history, we've already worked on many historic buildings, but this project will hold a special place in our list of references. Thanks to the constructive collaboration with Resiterra, the architect, the structural and technical engineering firms, and the various subcontractors, we were able to meet the tight schedule and complete everything perfectly by the planned handover date.”