Making better use of existing space – that is the goal of the project, according to program manager Transformus Yvette Ramakers. With Transformus, the university aims to accommodate the anticipated growth – that also Beethoven will contribute to – within the current buildings on campus. The project is partially connected to the Multi Annual Budget project, with which the university wants to create more financial space. By accommodating the growth in the existing buildings, less investment is needed, Ramakers explains: "because by using the buildings more efficiently, we don't have to construct a whole new building. Apart from the new semicon lab building, that is.

Floor space

Although, in theory, staff and graduate students will have to give up twenty percent of their “floor area”, this does not mean the rooms will literally become smaller, Ramakers explains. “The main goal is to reorganize that floor area to maximize efficiency. We will do so by taking stock of what is needed to work well. For example, does everyone need their own desk or is there a greater need for more meeting spaces?”

When it comes to the question of whether everyone needs their own desks, many people are quick to think of open-plan offices and flexible workspaces. However, creating more open-plan offices is not at all the intention, Ramakers assures. “We’re using the current situation as a starting point. It’s not even possible to open everything up because we don’t have the budget for that. Instead, we’re looking at how things are organized right now and how we can turn it into a better workspace with a few smart decisions.” This could mean, for example, installing office phone booths or meeting pods. Or adding a partition. And at General Affairs, the department furthest along in implementing the project, smaller tables will be placed to accommodate more people.

The modifications to the spaces are made in consultation with their users and services. “We’re approaching this with a multidisciplinary project team,” says Ramakers. “We start with the project’s framework: what are the standards, how do we guarantee fire safety, and what about the air supply? Then we ask users what changes they would like to see to make this a success. We approach this from different areas of expertise within the services to explore how it can be realized.”

Empty desk

Exactly what is needed to improve the use of the available spaces varies from building to building. For example, employees in Flux need more room. “They’re currently the most cramped of all. Not to mention the anticipated growth.” A new lab building is planned, but it will be some time before it’s completed. “We’re looking at what measures we can take to quickly alleviate the pressure there,” says Ramakers. “We’re not only taking into account the space and layout, but also human behavior and how teams are organized. Teams might agree on which days they will come into the office and which days they’ll work from home. You could also agree as a team to always leave your desk cleared.”

She personally has had good experiences with the latter. Ramakers works on floor 10 of Atlas, which has many flexible workspaces. “Everyone always leaves their desk cleared there, so there’s always a spot available.” In Atlas, Transformus is well underway. In general, the floor area in that building appears to be adequate, according to Ramakers. “But we’re also looking at how to improve usability, even if a building or department already meets the standards.” There is still a lot of room for improvement in terms of layout, she says. “For example, some groups need more quiet while others may be noisier and also don’t mind working in such an environment. You could choose to create suitable spaces for both groups.”

Sprinklers

This project does not involve major renovations. Even installing additional partitions is something Real Estate wants to keep to a minimum. Ramakers: “Due to things like ventilation and sprinklers. There is a lot to take into account, so you need to consider whether such a partition really adds value.”

The project is already underway in Atlas and Matrix. Real Estate hopes to start implementing it in the rest of the buildings this year. All buildings with substantial office space will be addressed. Transformus is expected to be fully completed around 2027.