villa kameleon by FELT architecture & design is a care home in beligum

villa kameleon, a charming care home nestled in a forested site

completed by FELT architecture & design, villa kameleon is a care home sitting in a forested site of zoersel, belgium. in partnership with a non-profit organization (NPO), the project is designed for a private client who wished to accommodate their granddaughter and eight other residents suffering from mental disability. the architects carefully positioned the care home within the forest in such a way as to maximally preserve the green charm of the site and inject natural lighting into the space.

images © stijn bollaert

a hyper-compact volume with a hexagonal ground plan

the team at FELT architecture & design, alongside the non-profit organization emmaus, translated villa kameleon into a rational and hyper-compact volume with a recognizable hexagonal ground plan. alternating between light grey plaster and various shades of green glazed tiles, the façades offer a simple play of rhythm and materiality that breaks down the volume of the building and allows it to establish a different relationship with its surroundings from every side.

the façades alternate between solid gray plaster and glazed green tiles

breaking away from standard healthcare facility designs

to avoid the overly functional and often bleak design found in healthcare facilities, the architects modeled the interiors with a warm and homely palette of colors and materials. once inside, a spiral staircase welcomes visitors on the ground floor and forms the heart of the building. communal areas and three other studios, meanwhile, complete the lower level with extra attention given to accessibility.

a simple play of rhythm and materiality breaks down the exterior building volume

moving up to the first floor, six other identical studios are arranged around the staircase and located at a corner of the hexagonal plan. this extra angle gives the studios a double orientation with two different views of the landscape, and a strikingly functional layout. the bathrooms in each studio are pushed to the façades, allowing natural daylight to trickle in. finally, a dome on top of the central hall brings in light into the heart of the building and offers a view of the sky and the treetops.

a central, spiral staircase is featured at the heart of the building