New student residence in Aachen city center gains momentum

The plans of Studierendenwerk for new student housing on Rochusstraße are becoming more concrete. The signing of the contract with the Swiss architectural firm BHSF Architektur & Städtebau last week paved the way for planning to begin soon.

At the end of 2024, Studierendenwerk, the City of Aachen, the NRW Ministry of Construction, and the NRW Chamber of Architects launched the state competition “Nachverdichtung einer studentischen Wohnanlage in Aachen-Mitte” (“Redensification of a student housing complex in Aachen-Mitte).” The task for the participating architectural firms was to redesign a vacant university building on Rochusstraße into a lively place for students to live, taking into account the current discussions on “simple construction.” The contract was ultimately awarded to the design by Zurich-based firm BHSF Architektur & Städtebau, which came second in the competition. This means that the building, which is to provide 135 places for students, will not be torn down, but gutted and converted into a student residence.

Preferred types of accommodation among students:
Single rooms and shared apartments

The property on Rochusstraße covers around 1,400 square meters. The city of Aachen intends to grant Studierendenwerk a long-term lease on the land. The area adjacent to the rear of the existing student residence on Seilgraben will be included in the redevelopment. Both areas are to be merged into a single residential quarter.

The Swiss firm's design focuses on contemporary living concepts and creates spacious communal areas through precise and minimal interventions in the existing buildings. Tailored to the needs of today's students, the building on Rochusstraße will house efficiently designed single rooms with en-suite bathrooms as well as larger shared apartments. The building exterior and supporting structure will remain largely intact. On the ground floor, a large, flexible hall with study and communal rooms, quiet work cubicles, sharing options, a laundry room, and a small cafeteria will be created. The single rooms on the ground floor will be accessible via the garden, while the shared apartments will be located on the upper floors. It was important to Axel Humpert, one of the owners of BHSF, and his team that their design would allow not only the building on Rochusstraße to remain, but also the chapel extension of the dormitory on Seilgraben. Since its founding, the firm has pursued a conscious approach to existing buildings. “This attitude strengthens our cities by pursuing continuity instead of replacement and transformation instead of a clean slate.”  

Sebastian Böstel, managing director of Studierendenwerk, is delighted: “We like the design because it very much meets our expectations of sustainable construction: we are using existing spaces, preserving most of the building fabric and at the same time creating modern, communal living spaces with a high quality of life.”

Frauke Burgdorff, City Planning Officer for the City of Aachen and herself a member of the jury for the state competition, praises the design as a successful contribution. “We are delighted that a design is now being implemented that preserves the existing structure – the greatest lever for climate and environmentally friendly urban development. As the City of Aachen, we stand by Studierendenwerk as a reliable partner in this endeavor.”

The project currently costs around €17 million. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia is supporting the project with its “Junges Wohnen” (Young Living) funding program. Once all the expert reports have been received and the preparations have been completed, Studierendenwerk plans to submit the building application by next year at the latest.

 
Image 2: From left to right: Frauke Burgdorff (City Councilor for Construction in Aachen), Axel Humpert (BHSF Architektur & Städtebau), Sebastian Böstel (Studierendenwerk), Gottfried Bek (bek architektur)