‘De Klokkenberg’ in Breda is a unique location, particularly because of its solitary position in the landscape, lying between Het Mastbos and the little river Mark. Built as a sanatorium, its many patient rooms were oriented towards the south.
The original sanatorium, built in 1953 by the architects C.H. de Bever en C.M. van Moorsel, has a striking floor plan. The old historic route runs straight through the terrain and separates the parallel lying area next to the Galderseweg from the central part of the complex ‘Klokkenberg’. Here, De Vitalis Zorg Groep will realize a new housing plan with approximately 400 dwellings.
The new urban and landscape plan continues the existing courtyard structure, with a sensibility towards the proportions and attention for the existing monuments. The distances between the old and new volumes have been carefully defined. On the on hand, there is the strengthened intimacy and introvert character of the courtyards, on the other hand there is the wide view across the landscape. An interesting tension between intimacy and openness, sheltered and free, comes into being, to be experienced upon crossing the area.
