Mecanoo’s transformation of Utrecht University’s Van Unnik building opens the tower to campus life, combining its existing concrete structure with new spaces for education, research and social interaction. With the final design approved, UNIEK enters a new phase in the redevelopment of the building and its surroundings.
The building will bring together the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FSW), the University Corporate Offices (UBD) and the wider university community. A new multifunctional education pavilion will serve users from across Utrecht University.
In a recent DUB feature, Mecanoo Partner Arne Lijbers and Utrecht University’s Head of Property Development Karlijn Mink guide readers through the stripped-back tower, explaining the design approach.
Working with the building’s brutalist character, the design introduces greater transparency and stronger connections to the campus. A timber and glass Agora forms the central entrance and gathering space, linking the tower to the education pavilion. An internal street connects these functions, providing places to study, meet and exchange ideas.
The transformation extends into the surrounding landscape, with new green spaces and a study garden. The Basket, with its rooftop basketball court, will also be restored, contributing to the renewed social heart of the campus.
Retaining the concrete structure is central to the sustainability approach. Façades respond to solar orientation, while flexible spaces support different ways of working and learning. At the top of the tower, a shared rooftop space provides room for meetings and events, with views across Utrecht towards the Dom Tower.
Construction is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2027, with completion scheduled for 2030.
Read the full article and watch DUB’s video tour.