Groundbreaking ceremony for the gateway to the Health Campus in Diepenbeek
DIEPENBEEK – Today, Deputy Tom Vandeput and Mayor Rik Kriekels performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the gateway to the Health Campus in Diepenbeek. The new buildings, developed by POM Limburg in collaboration with UHasselt and with support from Europe, will become the face of the campus. The gateway building will bring together healthcare partners and knowledge institutions to innovate and strengthen the healthcare sector.
As an open innovation center, the gateway building at Health Campus Limburg DC will serve as a place where innovative research, the healthcare sector, and businesses meet to shape the future of healthcare.
Deputy for Economy and Chairman of POM Limburg, Tom Vandeput: “The healthcare sector is of great economic importance to Limburg, employing almost one in five Limburgers. Through digitalization, we can not only improve the quality of care but also increase life expectancy.”
Minister of Work and Economy Jo Brouns emphasized the project’s importance for Flanders: “With the Health Campus, we are building on Limburg’s innovative ecosystem for better healthcare. With €12.8 million in ERDF support, we are happy to contribute from Flanders. This enables our companies, as well as UHasselt, to further develop expertise and grow in biomedical sciences and the healthcare sector of the future.”
Strong ecosystem for better healthcare
Collaboration between research, the healthcare sector, and businesses is crucial to address the challenges in our healthcare system. “Due to aging populations, increasing long-term care needs, and staffing shortages, we have no choice but to innovate in a profound and sustainable way. This complex problem can only be tackled through cooperation. Turning good ideas into practical applications in healthcare through collaboration is what we will focus on in the open innovation center,” says Roeland Buckinx, manager of the Health Campus. “Such a strong ecosystem will also attract innovative companies, which will find space to grow in the BioVille incubator or other business facilities on the campus.”
One of the key initiatives housed in the building will be UHasselt’s THINK³ center for system and process innovation. “The THINK³ simulation & innovation lab is a university civic lab for education, research, and services in the healthcare sector. Through this lab, we aim to support (healthcare) organizations in facing challenges by bringing together healthcare professionals, data scientists, economists, and other profiles to collaborate. The lab has already gained extensive experience in developing and implementing innovations in healthcare through collaboration with professionals in the sector. In addition to the THINK³ center, UHasselt sees opportunities for further research and services in (bio)medical sciences, rehabilitation sciences, data sciences, and broader life sciences with the development of the Health Campus,” explains Prof. Dr. Veerle Somers, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences.
Panoramic view and green mobility
The gateway building will be more than just an entrance to the campus. It will feature, among other things, a lecture hall with a panoramic view of the entire site, further integrating the campus with its surroundings. The building will play a central role in shaping the image of the Diepenbeek Limburg DC campus, with its impressive architecture and green setting. “This tower will become the face of Limburg DC and reflects our ambitious goals. With its striking design, it will be a real eye-catcher,” says Tom Vandeput.
Adjacent to the gateway building, a sustainable parking facility will be built, allowing visitors to switch from cars to bicycles or scooters. The building will also include hospitality facilities and will be equipped with electric vehicle charging points and solar panels, contributing to the campus’s sustainability ambitions.
Diepenbeek Mayor Rik Kriekels: “The Health Campus is a tremendous asset for Diepenbeek. It offers new opportunities for employment and innovation in the healthcare sector. Moreover, this project creates a unique connection between science, business, and our local community. The campus’s sustainable and forward-thinking approach perfectly aligns with our vision for a green and future-oriented municipality.”
Construction to last two years
The gateway building, designed by the Paris-Ghent architectural consortium Muoto-Tab, will be built by contractors Vanderstraeten from Lummen and Cordeel from Temse. Construction is expected to take two years.
The total cost for the gateway project amounts to €41 million. The project is made possible through provincial support (€13.7 million), LSM support (€2.5 million), and funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Flemish government (€12.5 million).
