The new building is located along two axes that are most defining for the campus: the hard axis of Corneel Heymanslaan and the gentle cycle connection of Groene Walleweg.

While the residence looks like a solid building block from the outside, the introduction of the courtyard typology allows for the creation of an intimate and lush inner garden.

Large arches delineate the public plinth, and the accommodation level reveals itself as a sober grid of windows.

The surrounding spaces are orientated towards the greenery, while the roof folds inwards, thereby creating different scales on the outside and inside.

The combination of rooms on the outside and collective spaces on the inside allows every student to enjoy two orientations and atmospheres.

The student room looks out to the city.

The cluster enjoys the garden.

Student Accommodation

Ghent

Ground floor

Typical plan

Located on the outskirts of Ghent, this student residence is designed to integrate with the area’s large-scale industrial elements. The building extends across the site, asserting itself as a strong presence within the rugged surroundings. Despite its solid exterior, the residence aims to provide a true sense of home, an oasis amid the concrete and infrastructure.

While the structure may appear monolithic from the outside, the introduction of a courtyard creates an intimate and textured inner sanctuary. The surrounding spaces are oriented toward greenery, while the roof’s inward folds establish a striking contrast between the exterior and interior scales. Large arches define the public plinth, while the accommodation level features a simple grid of windows. Nearby, team member Havana Architecten is developing a pair of sister buildings with a similar program.

  • Design teamDirk Somers, Nicolas de Paepe, Joris Willems, Reinaart Vandersloten, Myrthe Geelen, Alba Tavares Vanhoutte, Alex Turner, Merijn Muller, Wim Boesten, Rutger Brouwers, ValĂ©rie Van de Velde, Vera Bannwart & Markus Stolz
  • LocationGhent
  • Year2017 - 2023
  • ClientUniversity of Ghent
  • Program2 Student residences of which Campus Heymans (292 rooms) is being built by Bovenbouw
  • In collaboration withHavan-a, Tecon and BEG