Early 2015, TU/e will transfer Potentiaal and the adjacent Corona building to Dura Vermeer. Right now, those buildings are home to Electrical Engineering. Later this year, that department as well as Applied Physics will be moved to Flux. Dura Vermeer, which is currently building a new accommodation for DIFFER, will strip both buildings first before starting a full renovation.

TU/e and Dura Vermeer have entered into a fifty-year agreement. The contract states that the construction company will realize and exploit housing for people associated with TU/e Science Park, both students and young, foreign researchers.

Jo van Ham, the Executive Board member dealing with housing matters, says it won’t earn TU/e a great deal of money. “But we will have a building that fits our campus perfectly, and this way there is no need for asbestos removal and renovation”, states van Ham.

Apart from the three hundred housing units, Potentiaal will come to have a restaurant, a bar, a few small retailers, and a bike station. Upon completion, TU/e will rent approximately 3,000 square meters of space to house all cultural associations that are associated with the university. At the moment, these are all residing in the Bunker at Kennedylaan. The social associations SSRE and Demos that also have their quarters in the Bunker, won’t be moving to Corona.

According to Veronique Marks, head of DH, both associations have advanced plans to move to properties in the city center. “Their leases end this year, but we won’t kick them out. We do want them to continue their search for new housing actively, because it’s bound to be a time-consuming operation”, says Marks.  

In Corona, the areas earmarked for the cultural clubs won’t be theirs exclusively. Marks: “Those areas will also be used for education. It’s in line with the flexible use of space we adhere to on campus.”

After the renovation, both buildings will be sustainable and energy-neutral. The exploitation of the residential tower will fall to a third party to be selected by Dura Vermeer. Executive Board member Van Ham says the units must be affordable, and management will have to meet certain quality standards. “But in the end, it will be Dura Vermeer that decides on that. Still, we want to rent out the apartments as soon as possible, so quality will have to be up to par.”

Potentiaal is part of a building ensemble designed by architect Van Embden, dating back to the first phase (1957-1965) of TU/e campus. It’s one of three iconic buildings that make up the skyline of the university. Corona was constructed in the second phase (1971) as an extension. For the renovation, Dura Vermeer will be working with Eindhoven design agency Diederendirrix.

According to Marks, the redevelopment of the Hoofdgebouw and Potentiaal, and the construction of a residential tower by Vestide at Dommel River, the north side of campus will look like a giant excavation for at least two more years. “The entrance at Kennedylaan will remain in use, and we won’t close off De Zaale, either. However, we may have to close that thoroughfare temporarily every now and then. We’re happy Flux will be completed by the end of the year, because that means that corner of campus will be a lot quieter once again.”