Student accommodation, Zwolle

Just outside the historic town centre of Zwolle, on the banks of the Zwarte Water river, De Zwarte Hond has realised three student accommodation blocks with individual studios. The towers are located on a green piazza like a collection of warehouses. The project not only provides a fantastic state-of-the-art place to live for the rising numbers of students attending the Hogeschool Windesheim, but also provides the town centre of Zwolle with a landmark along its main access route.

The location of the new student complex, where the Burgemeester Roelenweg meets the Pannenkoekendijk, lies between the historic centre and the strip of land off the A28 motorway flyover. The area has a history of disjointed and chaotic development and was in sore need of a transformation, if only because its central location, just outside the old city centre, puts it in the spotlight. The location on the river was one of the reasons for designing a collection of warehouses, with their distinctive roof shapes, varying levels and almost classic detailing. The construction of several buildings in and around green spaces rather than a single large volume has resulted in an attractive and controllable living environment that fits in with the town of Zwolle and its human proportions. The green spaces combine to create a lively area for social interaction where the raised basketball pitch, bicycle storage and entrances to the residential sections can be found. Vistas between the buildings provide views of the river and the old town centre.