On the construction site: the emergence of the Marga Klompé building
A new educational building is being built on the campus. This building is necessary because student numbers are increasing and teaching methods are changing. The design of the new building is aimed to provide an inspiring learning and working environment in which staff and students can develop themselves to their full potential. If all lecture halls and study places are occupied, the building offers enough space for approximately 1,000 students. The building is expected to be ready for use around Christmas of the academic year 2023/2024.
On 15 July 2022, the first foundation pile went into the ground for the new educational building at Tilburg University and Vice-President of the Executive Board Paulina Snijders officially announced the name: Marga Klompé Building
Sustainability and circularity
The Marga Klompé Building will be almost completely energy-neutral. This means that the building generates almost all the energy it needs for its own operation, among other things, by means of solar panels, but also by applying the method of Heat and Cold Storage in the ground. Wherever possible, sustainable products and materials will be used. In addition, much attention is paid to circularity. For instance, the building has an almost completely reusable wooden load-bearing structure. In addition, the natural stone cladding will not be glued but mounted in a way that will allow it to be reused.
Early February 2023 - Timber construction work has begun.
February 2023 - The concrete core for the lifts and stairwell has been poured - the stability core for the building.
The highest point will soon be reached.
March 2023 - panorama of the construction site.
Unique design
The design of the building fits well within the green natural character of the campus and its wooded surroundings. The building is also a nod to the 1960s modernist architecture of the campus through its rhythm of windows and limestone facades. The interior creates an atmosphere of homeliness and serenity through the materials wood, stone and plaster. The Marga Klompé Building is a timeless and sustainable addition to Tilburg University's campus architecture.
Marga Klompé
Marga Klompé, the first female minister in the Netherlands, received an honorary doctorate from the then Katholieke Hogeschool Tilburg on 25 November 1982. She inspired because of her quest for a social and meaningful society. She championed social issues (the elderly, refugees and poverty) and international justice. In 2010, the Marga Klompé Special Chair was established, entitled 'International Social Responsibility'.
Date of publication: 20 March 2023