Good news: we get to stay in this building!
Perhaps not everyone was aware, but according to the TU Delft campus multi-year plan we were supposed to leave this building in about 10 years' time. That decision has now been reversed. Our faculty Architecture and the Built Environment will - also in the long term - remain housed in this beautiful and inspiring building. The news was announced last week, along with a treat of BK Biscuits for everyone in the building.
It has now been almost 16 years since the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment moved into this large and labyrinthine home in September 2008, following the devastating fire in our former building. As a temporary solution for the coming years, a plan was drawn up and implemented with all available means and manpower to make the vacant building suitable to accommodate all our students and staff. Known to many as the former main building of Delft University of Technology, the vacant building was actually once designed and built as a Chemistry Department.
Our building was designed by the users themselves over a short period of time into this place where the vibrancy and passion of the faculty is readily apparent. Old classrooms became advanced studios, corridors were given special signage. The empty courtyards became large covered spaces, with the Oostserre hosting lectures and presentations and the beautifully spacious Form Study Hall opposite the main entrance.
It was not the intention to stay housed in this building forever, and the TU Delft campus vision included a plan for a new building for our faculty. But now that decision has been reversed and we will remain housed in this building on the Julianalaan.
More information
Watch the film 'The making of BK City', which shows the refurbishment and transformation of this building for our faculty.
Read more in 'The future of Architecture' about our building, how faculty members see the future of our building and how it is an example and testing ground for ourselves, for the city and far beyond. (Dutch only).
The timeline of the history of our faculty was recently assembled and captured on the 'history wall'. Read more.
For those who want to listen to how profound the fire and subsequent period was for some of our staff, you can listen to the podcast 'The Bouwkunde Fire' here.