On 21 April 2022, a milestone was reached in the transformation of Langezijds. The new home of the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) is now completely weatherproof. This special moment was marked by the installation of the final pane of glass in the new curtain wall. The construction consortium Dura Vermeer Bouw Hengelo/Trebbe en Croonwolter&dros will now start work on the final phase.
Speaking on behalf of construction consortium Dura Vermeer Bouw Hengelo/Trebbe, Hein Trebbe sr. commented on the significance of this stage in the project: “Celebrating the achievement of weatherproof status is a tradition. We come together to reflect on what has already been accomplished. I’m proud of the implementation team and everything they’ve achieved so far, by working together so effectively.”
Rob Nengerman, construction project manager at the University of Twente’s Campus & Facility Management adds: “After many months of structural work, we’re now focusing on the finishing touches, and we’re really starting to see how cool this transformation is. The new building will make an appealing and transparent home for its users.” David Korringa, director of operations at ITC, is eager to move into the renovated building: "I’m looking forward to our faculty becoming part of the campus."
Ready for a sustainable future
Having reached this milestone in the construction process, the next phase in the complex renovation begins: the final structural work. Walls, ceilings, floors and doors will be installed, with much of the internal structure and many of the installations remaining visible. After the work is completed, Langezijds will be a highly sustainable building ready to face the future with an excellent A+++ energy label.
René van den Berg, project manager at Croonwolter&dros, shares the inside story: “Working to a tight schedule and with great precision, we have collaborated closely with Trebbe and Dura Vermeer over the past few months. The ground floor of Langezijds is quite low. Because of this unique feature, the installations were integrated into a complex computer floor on the second storey. This allows for more flexibility and optimal use of space.”
A social heart with two green lungs
The building will soon house teaching spaces, laboratories, a large study centre, offices and a restaurant. The students and staff of the ITC faculty form a close-knit international community of about 700, which is why it’s fitting that the building will encourage social interaction in an inspiring environment. To achieve this, Langezijds will have a ‘social heart’ – atriums with courtyard gardens connected by ‘green lungs’ – and almost every room will overlook greenery. The design is by Civic Architects, VDNDP and Studio Groen+Schild.
ITC on campus
In 2023, the ITC faculty will move from its current home on Hengelosestraat in Enschede to the unique Langezijds building on the University of Twente campus. The move to O&O Square is the crowning achievement in the integration of ITC at UT. Please visit utwente.nl/LTSH for our current construction projects, renovations, and other projects.
