The World’s Coolest University Dorm
Located on Orestad, a newer district in Copenhagen, Denmark, lies the award-winning Tietgen Student Hall (Tietgenkollegiet), a large circular residence with a massive interior courtyard.
The building was completed in 2006 and was designed by Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitekter. The seven storey structure contains 360 rooms, comprising a total area of 26,800 square meters (288,000 sq. ft).
The building’s circular form – a symbol of equality and the communal – is contrasted by projecting volumes expressing the individual residences. Below you will find information about the building and its unique features, along with a complete gallery of both the interior and exterior and of course the incredible communal courtyard. Enjoy!
Tietgenkollegiet Student Hall – Architecture
“The principle inspiration for the project is the meeting of the collective and the individual, a characteristic inherent to the dormitory building type.” – Lundgaard & Tranberg
– The cylindrical main shape is transected by 5 vertical lines that visually and functionally divide the building into sections and appear to be continuous, open passages providing access from the outside to the central courtyard.
– In the inner courtyard of the residence hall, you see the main common areas, the kitchens and the common rooms, that contrary to nature seem to be hanging freely in the air, with a depth of up to 8 meters (26 ft)
– On the outside, the front of the residence hall is clad with the cobber-based alloy tombak and oak. The indoor areas are characterised by the smooth, unpainted concrete walls clad with birch ply and floors of magnesite
– The raw, natural materials are both complemented and contrasted with the decoration of the residence hall created by the artists Mathilde Aggebo and Julie Henriksen. In the residence corridors, there are plywood-clad walls decorated with printed patterns contributing to all the corridors having their own unique characteristic. The colourful laundry of the residence hall is also unique, and the colours are repeated among the chairs, mailboxes, and curtains
[Source: Tietgenkollegiet.dk]
The Rooms at Tietgenkollegiet
– 1 bedroom units range from 26-33 square meters (280-355 square feet)
– There are also 30 2-bedroom units (suites for couples and students that require extra space) that are 45 square meters (484 square feet)
– The total 360 rooms are all facing the outer side of the round structure. Common to them all is also the basic shape that can be clearly seen from the layout: as slices of a pie, the rooms are widest at the outer end
– All rooms have a large window section that you can slide open giving you access to either a French window or a proper balcony
– All rooms have a spacious en suite with floor heating, toilet, and shower
– About 60 of the rooms are dedicated to international students that are on an exchange stay in Copenhagen
[Source: Tietgenkollegiet.dk]
The Kitchen and Commons Rooms at Tietgenkollegiet
– The kitchen plays a very central role in residence hall living and as such it is important that the room is a pleasant place to be. At Tietgenkollegiet, 12 residences share one of the total 30 spacious kitchens that are equipped with tableware and kitchen utensils, 4 fridges, 2 cookers and one huge cooker hood
– The kitchens are furnished with big dining room tables and the coloured chairs that can also be seen in other areas of the residence hall. Over time, the residents have contributed to imbuing each kitchen with its own personality
– In connection with each kitchen is a utility room with a sink where you e.g. can hang your laundry to dry.
– For each housing group, there is also an extra room that the residents after moving in decided to name the common rooms. Even though the 30 common rooms are linked to a residence group, the rooms are open for all residents and thus they invite the residents to move around in other places than their own kitchen
– As each room has its own theme and function, it also provides the opportunity for access to a more varied selection of facilities
[Source: Tietgenkollegiet.dk]
Other Common Facilities at Tietgenkollegiet
– Almost the entire ground floor of the residence hall is dedicated to common facilities that benefit all residents such as laundry rooms and the bike park
– There is an assembly hall that consists of a lounge and a big hall that can be divided into two rooms. The movable bars on castors make it possible to have both big parties or up to three smaller events at the same time
– There is a reading/quiet room for studying
– A computer room with scan, print and copy capabilities
– Two music rooms (one with a piano the other with a drum set)
– A gym and outdoor areas for activity such as basketball, table tennis and common terrace spaces
[Source: Tietgenkollegiet.dk]
Awards for Tietgenkollegiet
– Award from the Improvement Society of Copenhagen (Foreningen Hovedstadens Forskonnelses Diplom) 2005
– The Wood Award (Traeprisen) 2006
– Award from the City of Copenhagen 2006
– The Concrete Element Award (Betonelementprisen) 2007
– RIBA European Award 2007
– The Arne of the Year (Arets Arne) 2011 – Awarded by the local chapter from Copenhagen of the Danish Architects’ Association to Lundgaard & Tranberg for the “Gold/Black/Green” trilogy consisting of Tietgenkollegiet, the Royal Danish Playhouse and SEB Bank
[Source]
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