Bruges (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On January 27, 2025, AZ Sint-Lucas Hospital opened the KOALA building, featuring a new entrance, pharmacy, and cafeteria for 250 people. General manager Niko Dierickx highlighted its importance for patient comfort and access.
For the past 3 years, AZ Sint-Lucas Hospital used its old staff entrance as the main way in while a new building was being built. Today, January 27, 2025, the hospital opened the KOALA building. They mentioned that this new entrance is modern and helps patients and visitors.
The building includes areas like the reception, kitchen, warehouse, and pharmacy, all in one spot. By putting these services together, the hospital wants to work better and make it easier for people to get around. Authorities mentioned that this new building is an important step in the hospital’s plan to modernize and improve care.
What features does the new KOALA building at AZ Sint-Lucas offer for improved patient access?
According to General Manager Niko Dierickx, the KOALA building is a big step forward in space, access, and comfort. The new entrance is larger and designed to be welcoming and easy to use. He mentioned that the layout helps people move around the hospital easily. The KOALA building will play an important role in the hospital’s work. Niko mentioned that it aims to make things easier and more comfortable for everyone who visits.
The KOALA building has two new underground parking levels built under the entrance hall. This gives more parking space for hospital visitors and staff. There are 270 parking spots, and 26 of them are reserved for people with physical disabilities. This helps make the hospital more accessible for everyone.
The design also includes elevators that connect the parking levels to the KOALA building. Authorities mentioned that this allows visitors and patients to stay dry and comfortable when they enter or leave the hospital.
The KOALA building has a Kiss & Ride zone. This area is for easy drop-off and pick-up for patients and visitors. It allows vehicles to park briefly. Officials mentioned that this makes it simple for family members, friends, or caregivers to help patients. They can do this without blocking traffic.
Visitors and patients no longer have to go through all kinds of weather to enter the hospital, because the elevators take you directly to the KOALA building,
Dierickx explains.
According to the Dierickx, the KOALA building was an important investment for AZ Sint-Lucas Hospital. It helped solve space issues that had been a problem for many years. General manager Niko Dierickx mentioned that the expansion was necessary because the hospital was growing. He said areas like the pharmacy and warehouse needed more space to work effectively.
The new pharmacy is a key feature of the building. It includes modern technology, such as a cleanroom for making sterile products and advanced robots. Dierickx highlights that these robots help ensure that medicines are distributed safely and efficiently. The warehouse has also been expanded to meet the hospital’s increasing needs, making it easier to manage supplies and logistics.
It was a necessary investment because our hospital has been struggling with a lack of space for years,
says Dierickx.
AZ Sint Lucas is in full expansion. The pharmacy and the warehouse in particular needed extra space.
The KOALA building also includes a newly updated kitchen and cafeteria. These areas required modernisation for a long time. The cafeteria now has room for 250 people. From the dining area, guests can see the roof terrace. This terrace has been changed into a green space with various plants.
Environmentalists mentioned that the plants on the roof help in several ways. They support wildlife, improve air quality, manage rainwater, and provide insulation for the building. They said that it shows the hospital’s commitment to creating a space for everyone who uses its services.
