Leiden University is the Netherland’s oldest university. It has a strong international reputation and an ambition to expand.
For the Humanities Faculty, KCAP created an urban redevelopment strategy including the partial renovation of existing buildings, the addition of new buildings and the expansion of educational program.
In the center of the faculty, a new heart will evolve to create an inviting learning environment. The urban development plan offers a future-proof framework with a strong identity.
A new central outdoor space ensures cohesion between the various buildings and institutions. Central functions on the square, improved infrastructure and more space for meeting will be provided.
The sustainable design approach aims to create an inner-city campus by enhancing the qualities of the buildings and their relation to each other, as well as improving and connecting to the surrounding site features.
The buildings must meet the demand of current users and at the same time be flexible in order to be able to respond to future changes in educational concepts and student numbers.
In addition to the university-related ambitions, the development will result in a new part of the city centre that will invite people from outside the university to use and visit the campus.
A mixture of functions such as education, catering, sports facilities and parks will create an attractive and hospitable campus that is well-connected to the city centre of Leiden. Source by KCAP.
- Location: Leiden, Netherlands
- Architect: KCAP
- Collaborators: Leiden City Council and De Zwarte Hond (renovation and design of the existing building “Cluster Zuid”)
- Client: Leiden University
- Program: Urban plan and visual quality plan for Leiden’s Faculty of Humanities, extending the educational program, partially renovating existing buildings and designing a new building
- Year: 2022
- Images: Courtesy of KCAP
