Campus Drie Eiken 2.0

Over the past few years, the University of Antwerp has already invested heavily in Campus Drie Eiken in Wilrijk. Two new buildings containing mostly classrooms were constructed, research laboratories were renovated, the large lecture hall Aula Fernand Nédée was given a new look, and research centre Vaccinopolis came into being. In terms of teaching and research infrastructure, the campus – home to some 10,000 students, researchers and staff – is still in good shape.

But a campus needs more. ‘Student restaurant Komida was bursting at the seams, we lacked decent sports infrastructure, and the 1970s student rooms were in dire need of renovation’, Rector Herman Van Goethem explains.

Social student housing

Students, faculties and central services formed a working group to tackle the question of which facilities should be added to the campus. UAntwerp then looked for an external partner who could develop the campus on a long-term lease. ‘As an explicit condition, we included that at least 120 student rooms need to be offered as social student housing’, Bart Heijnen, UAntwerp’s Director General, clarifies.

That external partner became project developer LIFE, which then partnered with Xior as a long-term investor, owner and operator. Together with POLO architects, LIFE and Xior drew up the plans. Three buildings form a composition of simple volumes, which collectively create a lively square and form the heart of the campus.

Decisively climate-adaptive

The additions include a tower with student rooms, a low-rise building that houses student accomodations, a large bicycle parking area and space for smaller commercial activities, and a large building that serves as a sports hall and a student restaurant with 400 extra dining places for students. As an added value to sports enthusiasts from Wilrijk and the surrounding area: the sports hall is also open to outsiders.

UAntwerp is realising its goal to become more sustainable and energy efficient by decisively choosing for climate-adaptive construction. The new buildings have deliberately been placed entirely on an existing car park to ensure green space surrounding the area is not lost. The few trees that could not be saved have been compensated by planting new trees elsewhere on campus.

Textbook example of campus development

‘For us, the cooperation with UAntwerp and the enthusiasm of all stakeholders involved is a very good example of how the public and private sectors can strengthen each other’, Toon Haverals, CEO of LIFE.be, says. Jiri Nagels, Country Manager Belgium of Xior Student Housing: ‘We look forward to being able to give around 200 students a second home. The student rooms will meet the requirements of today’s student and we are happy to do our bit to make Campus Drie Eiken a vibrant campus.’

As a creative developer, LIFE puts people at the heart of its developments and is resolutely committed to differentiation, soul and character. ‘We strive for more quality of life and focus on a life cycle cost approach with sustainable use of energy, materials and space’, explains Haverals. ‘We pay a lot of attention to identity, a very important word for students who are in the middle of their development, not just intellectually, but especially in their search for meaning and their place in life. This results in great diversity regarding types of student accommodation... Something for everyone.’

Student as focal point

Space is also provided for ad hoc student initiatives. ‘Creating a campus is an organic process, students are challenged to make their own campus in a kind of co-creation model. Initiatives such as student events but also pop-up bars, food trucks and vegetable gardens create more engagement and encounters, but also create connectedness, entrepreneurship and involvement, with a qualitative attractive public space as the end result,’ says Toon Haverals.

Spatial vision for the future

The student housing and sports hall project is part of a wider task for the entire campus, as UAntwerp is working on a strategic spatial vision for the future that guids its infrastructure policies and initiates pilot projects. At the same time, it is sufficiently open and able to adapt to future developments or opportunities. By the end of 2024, the project should be finalised. ‘Campus Drie Eiken will then have a vibrant heart and become a campus that is alive 24/7’, Rector Van Goethem concludes.