Campus Drie Eiken

The expansion of Campus Drie Eiken in Wilrijk, home to 10,000 students, researchers and staff, includes new infrastructure for the University of Antwerp. The project includes a student residential tower, a new restaurant and a sports hall.

Campus Drie Eiken 1
Campus 3 Eiken 3

The new infrastructure, according to POLO’s design, follows UAntwerpen’s continued expansion and the need for a vibrant heart on campus. XL FUND, a long-term collaboration between investor/owner Xior Student Housing and property developer LIFE, developed the project on the principle of ground lease, with the developer also acting as long-term investor and manager.

The new facilities were built on the existing parking lot 3, preserving the current green space.

The building envelope was constructed with the patented C-fast precast system, developed by Cordeel. This system limits the use of beams because beam, column and slab together form one flat whole.

Sister company Imtech was in charge of the electrical installations.

The project included;

  • the new construction of 226 student housing units spread over 2 volumes, a tower volume and a beam volume;
  • the new construction of a small supporting supermarket, a number of small food bars and a bicycle repair shop, linked to a large new bicycle parking area, integrated into the bar volume:
  • the new construction of sports infrastructure, consisting of a gym, strength hall and 2 sports fields;
  • the new construction of the restaurant, integrated into the volume of the sports hall;
  • construction of a new single-level outdoor parking lot under the sports hall volume;
  • the reconstruction of the parking lot 2;
  • the construction of a new 4,395-square-meter plaza with water feature and landscaping around the new building volumes, resulting in a new beating heart for the university campus.

Sustainability was central to this climate-adaptive project. Geothermal energy and heat pumps were used to achieve fossil-free energy use, with maximum comfort for heating and cooling. In addition, much attention was paid to building intelligence and demand-controlled lighting.

C-concrete also previously worked with the Vaccinopolis research center on Campus Drie Eiken.