At the request of the municipality of Herenthout, a new campus was developed for the technical services, fire station, and the Red Cross on the former Serneels industrial site. The design responds to the logic of the existing site, organizing the various functions around a central plaza that serves both as a logistical hub and as a recognizable, high-quality public space within the business park.
Designing public buildings such as Site Serneels requires balancing functionality with a welcoming environment for staff, while making public services visible as part of the urban fabric.
The project combines efficient infrastructure and logistics with a landscape design that enhances legibility and spatial quality, resulting in a high-performing campus with a strong identity.
Site Serneels demonstrates how utilitarian architecture can evolve into a clear and cohesive whole. Where such facilities are often approached functionally, this design translates the operational logic and industrial character of the site into a strong architectural expression. Exposed concrete and corrugated steel were chosen to emphasize these special programmatic qualities, reinforcing visual layering of the different functions and their public spaces.
Robust materials and a clear structural logic also result in a durable, low-maintenance ensemble that is future-proof both architecturally and in its landscape integration.
Sustainability is approached at the scale of the entire site, with a focus on maximizing shared functions and minimizing the overall built footprint. And the landscape design emphasizes permeable surfaces, water buffering, and rainwater reuse, with infiltration through swales as part of a climate-adaptive strategy.
The project redefines service buildings as places with spatial and social quality, offering a compelling example of contemporary service architecture.
