Mensa (restaurant)
The first Mensa Building is not on campus, but a lot further east, on the Cobbenhagenlaan. It is a building by Jos. Bedaux, designed and built between 1959 and 1965.
The building stands on stilts because the architect felt a height accent was needed at this corner. The space behind the poles was later filled in, to accommodate the housing of the theologische faculteit, which was there temporarily. The Mensa was part of an ensemble, with the adjoining "eigen huis", accommodation for student organizations.
Between 1968 and 1980, the basement of the complex was home to café cum vestzaktheater 'Posjet' (from the French pochettte). Posjet started as a café but gradually started organizing pop concerts, film screenings, a weekly disco, theater performances, and programs by Studium Generale. The student center also attracted public from outside, and developed into an open youth center—where non-students were also welcome. Lack of money led to its demise.
In 1981, the new Mensa was inaugurated, on campus. The building is designed by Kraaijvanger architecten. It is planned to be replaced in 2021 for a new construction on the site where Prisma Building previously stood.
More about history and academic heritage
The Tilburg University academic heritage is a very diverse set of archives, visual materials, collections, devices, recorded stories, et cetera that relate to the history of the university.