New University Sports Centre reaches highest point
In a topping out ceremony on Thursday 30 January, the new sports centre celebrated reaching its highest point and looked ahead to the future. The university will have a spacious and sustainable sports building by the start of 2026.
Light and spacious sports centre in sight
In around a year, we will have a brand-new Sports Centre. Vice-Rector of the Executive Board, Erwin Muller, and the Chair of Student Sport Leiden, Fleur van Dooren, hoisted the flags to mark the completion of the building’s shell. Muller applauded the transformation, ‘We are going from a dated, cramped building to a light and spacious sports centre. This modern sports complex will encourage students, staff and local residents to relax and get more exercise. Healthy body, healthy mind: fantastic that this new building will help people achieve this.’
Sustainable and multifunctional
The new building has been designed by BINX Smartility in collaboration with RoosRos Architects. BINX is also overseeing the project. The building will provide extensive sports facilities including a gym and multifunctional spaces that can be used for group classes, dance and other sports as well as for exams. The building was designed with sustainability in mind and will feature good insulation, solar panels and a thermal energy storage system providing energy-efficient heating and cooling. A huge improvement: from the G energy label of the current sports centre to A+++ at least.
The new building will be exceptionally versatile, said Annette van Lookeren Campagne, Manager of the University Sports Centre. ‘This milestone brings our vision of a modern and inspiring sports centre that bit closer. The multifunctional spaces demonstrate how flexible and future-proof this building is. It will be a place where students, staff and businesses can come together to work on health, vitality and development.’
‘This milestone brings our vision of a modern and inspiring sports centre that bit closer.’
Completion
The new University Sports Centre is expected to be completed at the start of 2026. The exact opening date will be announced later this year. The central location on Rosalind Franklinplein and Hartlijn – the green cycle and pedestrian path through the LBSP – will make it safer and easier for students, staff and businesses in the area to reach.
Images: Monique Shaw