UU builds a temporary educational building at the Padualaan parking lot

UU is setting up a temporary education building at the Padualaan parking lot. The building will have at least 12 workgroup spaces, but there could also be more. It’s not yet known what the building will look like, but the property is supposed to be ready on August 1 at the latest, says Dennis Walta of the Educational Housing workgroup within the Real Estate & Campus management.

How many parking spots will disappear depends on the precise positioning and shape of the building, as well as whether it will have one or two floors. For now, the university intends to use the building for one year. 

UU is looking into offering more teaching spaces, which is why it is currently in consultation about renting the properties at Daltonlaan 700, in Rijnsweerd, and St. Jacobsstraat 124, in the city centre. More classrooms will also become available in existing buildings, such as the University Library in the city centre, and the Androclus building in the Utrecht Science Park.

There are two factors causing the demand for more teaching space. Firstly, the number of students has increased significantly in recent years. Secondly, there’s a need for substitute teaching space due to the renovation works in the Hijmans van den Bergh building. Due to this renovation, part of the classes of the Faculty of Medicine is accommodated at Bolognalaan 101. But these halls must be compensated elsewhere, which is why UU has the temporary building at Padualaan in mind. The renovation is expected to be concluded in August 2023. Afterwards, the building can be demolished.

Due to the growing number of students, UU currently has a shortage of 56 workgroup rooms. Expectations are that the growth is going to slow down in 5 years. Many of the new teaching rooms will be temporary because a structural solution is being sought in the meantime, according to Walta.

On January 10, UU already took four floors at Daltonlaan 500 into use.