093 Campus University Hasselt

The presence of Hasselt University in the city centre is literally tangible since several years. The old prison has undergone a transformation from a rigid, unruly and, above all, closed building into an open house, an accessible and attractive place that welcomes not only students, professors and lecturers, but also residents of the city and is used by many national and international institutions for symposia.
Now, UHasselt sees an opportunity to expand the campus with the Faculty of Business Economics, a programme with about 1.500 students. The extensive programme and required density at this location demand a study of a balanced entity that not only maintains but also enhances the feel of an urban campus.

Expanding the compact city campus offers a number of opportunities. The presence of UHasselt in the city centre is strengthened and the campus itself acquires a multilayered experience with an extremely flexible operation. It becomes a set of related buildings, each with a strong identity.
Rectangular open spaces are created between the separate volumes, which are sometimes covered or open squares, at other times alleys or passages – just like in a city. The paths that connect buildings meander gently through the greenery, inviting a park walk on campus.
This principle of a city within a city is also already present within the existing City Campus. New and old blend together and form a coherence.