[fr] 
[es]Joseph Lemaire's Sanatorium
| Type | Aerial view | Video | Country | Date | Status | Rating | |
 Hospital | Here ! |  Watch it! |  Belgium | 2005-09-06 | Reconverted | **** |
|
The mozaics and the architect signature.
The Famous Sanatorium...
Lemaire Sanatorium was built in 1937 by the Belgian architect Maxime Brunfaut and funded by the insurance company La Prévoyance Sociale (illustrated by the letters 'PS' on the mosaics on the image on the left), this imposing art deco building is located in Tombeek close to Overijse, 12.4 miles south of Brussels.
Its unique architecture moved away from the stagnant corridor hospitals built in the early part of the century and uses bold linear elements mixed with light airy interior spaces to give the hospital its flair. Due to its imaginative design, the sanatorium has been studied throughout the world and has been featured in many architectural publications.
The hospital is reached through a foreboding tree-lined lane that stretches on for about one mile (see video below). This majestic entry enhances the site in its natural environment and gives visitors a taste of what is to come.
Originally designed to accommodate 150 tuberculosis patients, the sanatorium offered a sumptuous environment within its remarkable halls. Light, space, and air were all considered key components to assist in healing the ill. Its isolated location brought nature to the patients to speed the healing process along with all of the luxurious facilities Lemaire Sanatorium had to offer. The building was transformed into an insane asylum in the early 80s and eventually was abandoned 50 years after its construction in 1987.
The main building overview.
The photos published in the two galleries were taken between December 2003 and December 2008 for the gallery "Full moon at the Sanatorium". The sanatorium is a classic urban exploration location in Belgium but has suffered the wear and tear of vandals for the 15 years it has stood abandoned. Everything inside this once grand building has been stolen or destroyed, including the numerous windows that lined the halls. Currently only the carcass-like shell of the building remains as a silent reminder to the opulence Lemaire Sanatorium was once proud of. While walking along the endless corridors you can feel the violence that has been wrought to achieve the current dilapidated result.
Despite all of the destruction and abuse that was doled out the sanatorium was alive until the end. You can feel the lively atmosphere that surrounds this place; it's creaking and slamming doors at night, the tangled concrete maze of corridors that intertwines the space leaving you lost and tracing your steps. One only needs to imagine how life went on in these rooms that are now ravaged.
Finally, a Project Looms on the Horizon
After numerous failed attempts, December 2008 was the first glimpse of hope this concrete behemoth has seen in decades. At the date of this report work has started and areas around the site have been cleared and the building cleaned, as can be seen on the photo gallery "Full Moon at Sanatorium". Finally, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Lemaire Sanatorium will rise again and not deviate too much from its primary function. In this new incarnation it will serve as a nursing home for the elderly.
Will the hospital find its former glory? Stay tuned...