17-01-2024, Groningen – The first piles for the construction of the new student complex Proxima on Zernike Campus are in the ground. Proxima will have 401 rooms that, during the peak period at the end of the summer, can be double-occupied to accommodate 802 students. It is the first residential complex on Zernike Campus and will be completed in the summer of 2024.
Monique Louwes, team manager at SSH Student Housing in Groningen, says: “We are delighted that together with the municipality of Groningen we can build a new student complex so quickly. What is unique about this location is that every year we temporarily place two students in a room. With this we offer a solution for the annual ‘peak period’ at the beginning of the academic year for international students in Groningen.’
Room shortage
The room shortage among international students in Groningen is an annual problem. During the summer period, international students come to the Netherlands, but graduate students have not yet left their rooms by then. This creates a temporary room shortage. The SSH and the municipality of Groningen offer a solution to this room shortage with Proxima, because during the peak period there is room for more than 800 students in Proxima; temporarily two students sleep in one room.
Peak period
“We are glad that in Groningen such proactive action is being taken to solve the ‘peak period’ problem, we do not see this in other student cities,” says Ken Hesselink, chair of the Groninger Studentenbond (GSb). “The current housing shortage among students is extreme and projects like this definitely contribute to a solution.”
Meet
Students often arrive at their new accommodation alone, in unfamiliar surroundings and in most cases do not yet know anyone. This is why a lot of attention is paid to meeting them. Each house with about 40 rooms has its own central entrance, positioned towards the core of the area, with its own identity through the use of color. In the common living kitchen one can cook and eat together. The four buildings form a small-scale student area, with a green core in between as a meeting place. Getting to know each other and sharing together is central. It is the start of a great student life in Groningen.
Delighted
Alderman for Housing Rik van Niejenhuis: “Students are welcome in Groningen and good housing is part of a student city like Groningen. We are looking forward to the arrival of Proxima, the first housing complex for students on the Zernike campus. We are creating a nice place where students can live comfortably even during peak periods. I am therefore very pleased with the arrival of Proxima.
Minimal inconvenience
Proxima is being built by Plegt-Vos Noord on behalf of the SSH and with developer Jebber. The student complex consists of bio-based housing modules made of wood. Plegt-Vos designs the housing modules in their factory and then assembles them on site. As a result, the construction time is short and there is minimal inconvenience to the surroundings. Because of the modular construction method, the buildings can eventually be disassembled and relocated. More information can be found on Jebber’s website.
Temporary housing
Together with the University of Groningen and the Hanzehogeschool Groningen, the municipality has signed an agreement with the SSH to build on the Zernike Campus. This is temporary housing for a period of 10 years. The location is on the Zernike complex near the Zernike Park and the Koegangen.