Groningen, The Netherlands
The new University College Groningen (UCG) building, designed by Sven Hoogerheide of Elephant/Taller Architects, integrates historic and modern architectural elements combining the legacy of former Government Architect J.A.W. Vrijman’s neo-Renaissance designs with a contemporary, sustainable approach.
Elephant/Taller Architects have been awarded for this project with a Europe40Under40 Architecture and Design Award by by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The three-story CLT-structured marvel features impressive glass façades, blending the interior with the outside world.
The ground floor functions as a bustling hub for staff, students, and visitors, fostering collaborative meetings.
On the top floor, a serene library space with a panoramic city view invites tranquility and focus.
The old building’s roof transforms into a spacious outdoor terrace, while a central reception desk beneath a high skylight anchors the transition between old and new.
Upon completion, the UCG community will feel an intrinsic connection, as if the new structure has always been an integral part of the landscape.
Project: University College Groningen
Architects: Elephant/Taller Architects
Lead Architects: Sven Hoogerheide and Dafne Swank
Associate Architects: Menno Kooistra and Fernando Blanco,
Contractor: Hegeman
Client:University of Groningen
Photographs: Courtesy of the Architects
