Hasselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Wit-Gele Kruis Limburg begins new Hasselt headquarters for 200 staff. Chairman Nyree Claes highlights accessibility. Virtual tours offered. Opening planned for March 2027. Architect Stefan Vanheeswyck leads design.
As VRT News reported, the Wit-Gele Kruis Limburg has begun work on a new headquarters in Hasselt.
“Our patients are increasingly choosing to come to us. From now on, that will be possible here,”
says Nyree Claes.
“There were several crucial issues, including accessibility: many of our people are permanently on the road,”
said Nyree Claes.
The building will bring together around 200 employees under one roof. Administrative offices, nursing stations, and the Hasselt care department will all be located in the same place. The new building is designed to be sustainable and accessible. It will feature energy-efficient systems and green spaces.
What changes will the new Wit-Gele Kruis Limburg HQ bring to Hasselt?
Finding a suitable location took time, according to the chairperson of Wit-Gele Kruis Limburg. Until now, administrative services were based in Genk, and nursing teams operated from multiple locations. The new headquarters will centralise all operations and improve coordination between teams.
The Wit-Gele Kruis Limburg is offering employees a chance to explore its new headquarters before construction begins. Using a detailed 3D model and a virtual reality headset, staff can walk through hallways, offices, and common areas. Chairman Nyree Claes says this is a unique feature for a building project at such an early stage.
“We demolished the extension to create more open space,”
explains architect Stefan Vanheeswyck.
The terraces, which date back to the 1980s, will be repurposed. We’re going to transform them into gardens that will give the building a welcoming and warm feel.”
The third floor of the building will be delivered as a shell and will have a separate entrance. No final decision has been made about how the space will be used, but the organisation prefers a partner from the healthcare sector. The headquarters is designed to meet modern standards for sustainability and accessibility. The official opening is planned for March 2027.
The move into new headquarters within Hasselt came about after years of planning by the organisation, Wit-Gele Kruis Limburg, aimed at streamlining their service delivery and increasing the amount of available space for both staff and those receiving care.
The search started in 2020 for a larger site to replace the main office of the organisation located at the Welzijnscampus in Genk. A decision was made in 2022 to move into the former Christelijke Mutualiteit building located on Prins-Bisschopssingel in Hasselt because of its central location and accessibility by public transportation.
Following an extensive study and bidding phase, a consortium led by TM Groep Van Roey-Artem was awarded the contract to carry out the renovation of the four-storey building. Major strip and renovation work is scheduled to commence in the summer of 2025, with completion of the project anticipated by the end of 2026.
