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LOT: Community for new student housing at the TU/e campus
Vestide, part of Woonbedrijf, will build 735 student apartments on the TU/e campus. Construction will start in two months. The student apartments are not there yet, but Vestide is already starting to build the community for the students. Students have already contributed their ideas regarding various issues surrounding the new student housing. That effort is now being expanded. Vestide hopes to inspire and encourage students to contribute their ideas and join in with and be part of the decision-making on the further development of the plan for the new student housing. Vestide has facilitated this process by launching a community called LOT.The students themselves take the lead
Marieke Franken, director of Woonbedrijf: ‘Students know better than anyone what comfortable living on campus means. That is why LOT has asked TU/e students to contribute their ideas and join in with and be part of the decision-making on the new student housing on the campus. LOT allows students to take control of their housing and living environment. The campus will become an even more attractive place for prospective students to live.’Exchanging insights
LOT is a student community that exchanges insights based on various themes.Examples include services and facilities, layout and design, quality of life, and communication. LOT actively involves students in issues, from the development to the completion of the apartments. This gets students involved and helps create a community, one which will remain active after the completion of the apartments. It will enhance the well-being of the students who will soon be living in the apartments.Contributing ideas regarding the practical details
Students are contributing their ideas on, among other things, the services in the housing, how communal spaces should be used, the rental plan and how the commercial and other spaces on the ground floor should be used. They also have a say in the colours of the kitchen cabinets and tiles, for example. Needless to say, students can also raise other issues that they would like to be addressed in connection with the community building.First meeting on 13 September
A walk-in meeting will be held between 16.00 and 18.00 on Tuesday, 13 September in Aurora (Lismortel 42, Eindhoven) to tell students about the new community. That will involve an uninterrupted presentation lasting around 15 minutes. Anyone wishing to attend can register for the event and also for the newsletter through the LOT website www.lotcommunity.nl. Those who have registered will then receive updates and invitations to meetings.Outline of the plan
The plan (designed by the VenhoevenCS firm of architects) consists of two residential towers and a student village. The tower on the west side will have 278 student apartments, and the east tower will consist of 371 apartments. Both towers are about 50 metres tall (16 residential floors). A ‘student village’ will be built between the two towers, featuring 86 two-level apartments distributed over five streets, intended for group living and shared facilities for students.The apartments will be built by Heijmans and located on the former site of the Pavilion, TU/e’s first building dating from 1956.
Vestide and Woonbedrijf’s project of 735 new student homes on TU/e campus starts in November
Vestide and Woonbedrijf’s new construction plan to realize 735 student homes on the TU/e campus has entered a new phase. With the granting of the environmental permit, the next step can be taken: the start of the construction activities in November this year. Construction is expected to take one and a half years. This means that the 735 student homes could be completed in the summer of 2024.Set-up of the plan
The plan (designed by architect VenhoevenCS) consists of two residential towers and a ‘student village’. The tower on the west side will contain 278 student homes, while the east tower will consist of 371 student homes. Both towers have 16 floors and are approximately 50 meters high. Between the two towers will be the ‘student village’ with 86 housing units spread over five streets with two floors, mainly for group living. The first floor of the towers, the tops of the student village, a boulevard along the water (the ‘blue carpet’) and the recreational greenery will form the social heart of the community. This will contain, among other things, a ‘makerspace’, meeting rooms, facilities and other rooms or locations that we will develop together with the students. There will also be meeting rooms on the floors where students can meet one another. The plan therefore consists of a mix of different functions that invite people to come together. This will make an important contribution to the well-being of the future residents.
The homes will be built by Heijmans construction company and will be located where the Pavilion first stood, this being TU/e’s first building from 1956. The Pavilion has been demolished in a circular manner, which means that components are reused in construction.
“The need for student housing is great”
As the commissioner, Woonbedrijf is the owner of the new construction and will rent the homes via Vestide, which is Woonbedrijf’s student housing provider.
Marieke Franken, director of Woonbedrijf: “We are happy to be able to take the next step in this project and make an important contribution to nice and affordable homes for students. The need for student housing is great and, at the same time, we see that construction costs are rising and the shortage of materials and capacity is increasing. Together with all parties involved, we expressed a strong will and ambition to actually realize the project. We are extremely proud that this has been achieved and that we will be able to start construction in November of this year.”
“Due to the growing number of students and the great shortage on the housing market, there is a considerably increased need for extra housing for students,” says Nicole Ummelen, vice-president of TU/e. “It is therefore very important that this project starts soon, as agreed in the Eindhoven Covenant on Student Housing. It will not only provide many students with beautiful housing in a lovely green location but, with the additional residents, the campus will become an even more vibrant place which is pleasant for everyone to live, work and exercise in. I’m also pleased that the project has a special focus on well-being and community building.”
Students have an important voice in this project
Since the start of the project, students have involved in various issues surrounding the new building. In the next academic year, this involvement of students will be intensified and Woonbedrijf/Vestide will build up a community of students to help create ideas, participate and help decide on the further implementation of the plan.
Investing together in student city Eindhoven with new student housing covenant 2021-2028
Eindhoven has a new Student Housing Covenant, a follow-up to the Student Housing Covenant 2012-2020. The covenant is an initiative of the Municipality of Eindhoven, Holland Expat Centre South, TU/e, Fontys Hogescholen, Design Academy Eindhoven, Summa College, Woonbedrijf/Vestide, Stichting Vastgoedbelang, Stehven and Brainport Development. Together they offer a long-term commitment to the students of Eindhoven and to making Eindhoven an attractive and welcoming student city. The covenant is a guide for giving student housing the attention it needs and deserves in the coming years.
Talent influx
Eindhoven is growing and, as an important part of the Brainport region, has big ambitions for further growth. The number of (international) students is also increasing. An influx of talent from home and abroad is essential for the development of the Brainport region in Eindhoven. Eindhoven wants to be a city where students like to come, feel at home and continue to live and work after completing their studies.
Suitable housing
Attracting and retaining (international) students requires excellent education, job prospects and suitable housing. The covenant, therefore, not only contains agreements about the realisation of new housing but also about the quality we strive for and about building according to need. It also focuses on the entire housing career of students and the involvement of companies and institutions that have an interest in attracting and retaining talent in and around Eindhoven.
Ingrid de Boer, general director/manager of Woonbedrijf: 'We need to cooperate to ensure that the pieces of the puzzle fit together properly. Together we must provide enough housing for (new) students and also for graduates. This will create a flow so that everyone can live in a place that suits their needs at that time. At every stage of their housing career.'
Living environment
Besides providing sufficient and affordable housing for students, the covenant also includes other joint objectives in the field of housing and living environment.
A good relationship between tenants and landlords is essential for the well-being of the students. The Huurteam was successfully launched for this purpose in 2020. The Huurteam helps students with (legal) questions about rental prices, service costs and residence maintenance.
The covenant also pays attention to the production and allocation of and support for housing for international students.
Finally, Eindhoven is a city for everyone. A good relationship between students and local residents is, therefore, an important condition for a pleasant living environment. Student initiatives that contribute to the quality of life in the neighbourhoods are encouraged.
