Construction of the Anna Maria van Schurman Building University of Utrecht has begun

With the erection of the construction crane – right next to the Dom church – the construction of the Anna Maria van Schurman Building has begun. Three listed buildings from different periods are being renovated and redeveloped, whilst the 1950s building is being replaced by a new building. A connecting atrium with a wooden arch structure is to be realised where the four buildings meet, forming a new layer of time that connects both figuratively and literally.

Sustainability plays a major role in the design. The listed buildings will be made more sustainable and gas-free, whilst the new building will predominantly use circular, bio-based, demountable materials; furthermore, the structure will be made almost entirely out of timber. The university’s ambition is to achieve BREEAM In-Use Excellent certification. 

The new building will be named after Anna Maria van Schurman, the first female student in the Netherlands, who was admitted in 1636 to the then newly founded University of Utrecht. She was an artist, linguist and theological scholar. The building will feature a visible element that pays tribute to her impressive life and legacy.

Photo: Bas van Setten