“I am very pleased that the Board made a decision today that is of great significance for the University,” says Vice-Chancellor Helen Dannetun. “Now we can also get to work on Campus Valla and create inspirational work and study environments. We have seen this trend develop in Europe; in the light of prevailing competition, we also have to equip ourselves for the future.”
All studentservice under one roof
One goal of the new student building is to bring all the different student services together under one roof. The building will be built to house a reception, the student health service, the admissions and exam service, a library, study areas, student catering and work spaces.
D Building, where Valla library is currently located, will be modified to provide workspaces so that the whole of the university’s administration can be brought together. In the current situation staff are spread between seven different buildings on Campus Valla. Zenit Building will be adapted to a collaboration building which will house, among other things, innovation offices that are currently located at Mjärdevi.
“Akademiska Hus has put forward a very exciting proposal at a reasonable cost. We will be getting a new student building that will be an important hub in the middle of the campus, and we will be able to house the entire administration under one roof. Obviously new construction is a financial challenge, but in parallel with this ongoing work we will be able to make up the increased leasing costs by being more efficient in all our work,” says Ms Dannetun.
“If the Board had said no, we would have been obliged to carry out extensive renovations to our existing premises, which in turn would have led to increased leasing costs. Instead these premises can be left and we can reckon on an increase in internal leasing costs of around three percent.”
Sustainable deconstruction
The decision means that the existing Origo Building will be deconstructed in a sustainable way to make way for the new student house. Large parts of the deconstructed building will be reusable. For example, construction parts can be offered for resale; concrete, brick and roof tiles will be ground down and used as construction landfill. The new building will be built to conserve energy, which will lead to an estimated halving of energy costs per square meter.
Akademiska Hus owns and manages the buildings and will also manage the construction of the new student building. The White Arkitekter architectural firm have been engaged to work on the student building, and Sonark Arkitekter AB for the renovation of D Building and Zenit Building.
“ ‘Green Building - Gold’ combined with a tough financial target is a challenge, but it will provide an excellent environment for those who will use the premises. Operational costs for Akademiska Hus and Linköping University will be low, too,” says Lars Hagman, regional director of Akademiska Hus Eastern Region.
Planning for a new student building and the renovation of D Building and Zenit Building on Campus Valla has been under way for a number of years. Following the decision by the Board today, the next phase of the process is for the Board of Akademiska Hus also to make a decision to start building. This is planned to take place on March 16. Following that, the first phase of renovation can begin in November 2015, and a new student building will be ready for move-in during September 2018.
Schedule for renovation and construction:
Renovation D Building phase 1: November 2015 – June 2016
Move-in, D Building and vacating of Origo Building – August 2016
Deconstruction of Origo Building September 2016 – November 2016
Construction Valla Student Building, December 2016 – September 2018
Move-in, Valla Student Building, start October 2018
Construction of D Building, phase 2: October 2018 – September 2019
Modification of Zenit Building October 2018 – March 2019
Illustrationer White Arkitekter