Welcoming design created for research & innovation campus
An education centre designed by Tendestream member KAAN Architecten has completed at the Healthy Ageing Campus in Groningen, the Netherlands. The city hosts over 60,000 students, with the new Anda Kerkhoven Centre established as the first in a planned series of facilities on the campus, uniting students, researchers, clinics, and industry to advance healthy ageing research and innovation. The centre will support over 2,000 students and staff from the University Medical Centre Groningen and the Faculty of Science and Engineering.
Strategically positioned on a central axis, the centre re-establishes the connection between the campus and Groningen’s historic centre, following the removal of an existing road. The Healthy Aging Campus promotes the idea of an environment that enhances well-being, with the education centre featuring a design emphasising comfort, natural light, and ventilation.
The welcoming layout is intended to invite students to engage with the campus beyond classes, offering various spaces for collaboration, study, and relaxation. Patio gardens and public spaces designed by Felixx Landscape Architects & Planners bring elements of the outdoor environment indoors, while a green roof terrace further integrates nature into the campus environment. Horizontal and vertical foyers enhance accessibility throughout the building’s five connected volumes.
Adaptability is key to the design, with lecture halls featuring movable platforms and a grid system that will accommodate future changes. Natural materials were selected for their longevity, ensuring the building evolves gracefully over time while maintaining an inspiring environment for students and researchers.
Vincent Panhuysen, founding partner of KAAN Architecten, stated: “The new Anda Kerkhoven Education Centre will bring a fresh identity to this part of the campus, while connecting with and reinforcing the surrounding buildings: a new public space comes to life.”
Lucy Nordberg
Tenderstream Head of Research
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