Redevelopment of the Remnant of Leuven’s 19th-Century Sint-Pietersgasthuis
The remaining structure of the Sint-Pietersgasthuis on the Hertogensite in Leuven is being renovated and transformed into a hotel with a brasserie. Due to the addition of several floors and numerous modifications over time—many of which are not immediately visible to the naked eye—structural design has been a crucial part of the project.
The redevelopment of the 19th-century Sint-Pietersgasthuis is part of the master plan by Resiterra, which aims to transform the former Leuven hospital site into a sustainable urban district. The remaining structure is located in the northern zone of the site, near Brusselsestraat. Between the building and the street, the 1960s-built Sint-Pieters Hospital has already been demolished to make way for the Podiumkunstensite and the Winkel-Wonen project.
The Sint-Pietersgasthuis was largely demolished in the 1950s to make room for the new Sint-Pieters Hospital, leaving only the heavily altered south wing of the original structure. At the start of the renovation, this remaining wing was still partially surrounded and overbuilt with later-added constructions. As part of the master plan, the goal is to restore the damaged remnant to its original state and repurpose it as a hotel with a brasserie. Due to its designation as architectural heritage, as many original elements as possible had to be preserved. However, significant modifications were necessary to meet modern standards in energy efficiency, acoustics, and fire safety.
Thinking Proactively
The repurposing of the building is a major transformation. The basement will house wine-tasting rooms and logistics facilities. The ground floor will be converted into a bar, restaurant, and kitchen. The first floor will feature meeting rooms and an auditorium, while the newly added second and third floors will be designated for hotel rooms.
Evolv has been closely involved in the project from the very beginning, as thoroughly analyzing the existing structure is crucial. This includes identifying structural elements, determining which can be preserved, and ensuring they are suitable for the building’s future functions. During the design phase, some elements were already removed or dismantled to compile a detailed report for the client and architect. Also during construction, Evolv has been on-site more frequently than in new-build projects to make accurate assessments of the next steps after each partial dismantling and demolition.
Reinforcement
Several modifications will significantly increase the building’s weight: the addition of two extra floors and the replacement of all mold-damaged wooden floors with concrete floors, which offer higher load capacity and fire resistance. To support this increased weight, a large number of micropiles have been drilled beneath the existing walls in the basement to ensure structural integrity.
The basement itself remains intact and includes an ice cellar, which is adjacent to the wine-tasting area. Since the basement was built with masonry, a key challenge was preventing (rising) moisture, which could otherwise damage the new technical installations and the linen room.
Light Construction
After the structural works in the basement, all elements that were not part of the original design were gradually removed from the upper structure. Scars in the brick walls, caused by later-added utilities, were repaired with new bricks. To reduce the weight of the new floors, we opted for a steel facade and roof structure, with a concrete intermediate floor between the two levels.
Construction Partners:
- Resiterra – client
- 360architecten – architect
- Vandebos – main contractor
- Evolv Engineering – structural engineering
