The Student Housing Award's criteria focus on innovation, sustainability and design for the needs of the student target group – both educationally and privately. A major focus is on the fact that the homes promote social interaction and a sustainable lifestyle. The three finalists respond to all of these criteria in different ways.
Språkskrapan is located in one of Gothenburg's most central locations, both in terms of education and the cityscape in general. The old university office building from the 60s has been converted into attractive student housing strongly rooted in both research and sustainability. Språkskrapan is part of a larger transformation of the university campus at Näckrosen and now houses 125 international students.
Classic student studios and duo apartments are mixed with larger shared apartments, where Akademiska Hus for the first time implements its student housing concept Academic Living in its entirety and blurs the boundaries between the educational environment and the home. The concept is rooted in the students' needs and is well researched through, among other things, test beds in HSB Living Lab. For example, a "study area" adjacent to the entrance and a "lounge area" outside the laundry room.
The building has been designated as a particularly valuable building, which has promoted innovation, especially when it comes to reuse. In addition to the frame, details have also been preserved, everything from stairwell art to luminaires. Calculations show that the climate impact is 1,000 tonnes CO2e lower than if the homes were added through new construction. Reuse is also prominent in other aspects, for example, granite stone in the outdoor environment has been sourced from other construction projects within Akademiska Hus and outdoor furniture has been created from used timber taken from a demolished footbridge in Gothenburg.
Other finalists for the 2023 Student Housing Award are Basecamp Malmö (Basecamp Student) and Generatorn in Linköping. The prize is selected by a jury that in various ways represents knowledge and experience within the various criteria of the prize. The winner will be presented on 24 January at 13.00 by the trade association Studentbostadsföretagen that will present the prize.
Read more about the other finalists here.
Linda Teng
Konceptansvarig student- och forskarbostäder