Executive Board approves new meeting place at USP
De Vagant, the previous meeting place at USP, was shut down in 2018. The temporary wooden pavilion was installed during the renovation of the Minnaert Building as an alternative for the building’s restaurant, which was closed at the time.
It turned out to meet a major need, but the structure eventually had to be taken down. The Executive Board therefore promised to work with students and staff to see whether a permanent meeting place could be added. This proposal has now been approved.
Community
‘Colleagues from the Real Estate & Campus department have been speaking with numerous students and staff in the recent period. We wanted to discover the secret behind the old wooden shack’s success and figure out what we could put in its place’, says Anton Pijpers. ‘It actually ties in very well with what we are aiming to do in collaboration with the student representatives on the ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ Council: encourage community building. We want it to be a facility that can be used by all students and staff.’
It actually ties in very well with what we are aiming to do: encourage community building.
Informal meeting place
An important advantage of De Vagant that was identified is the relative freedom it offered for study associations. The informal atmosphere for students and staff is also something that the new meeting place should reflect. A key point is that the space should primarily facilitate casual and informal meetings. The new meeting place should have a sustainable image and be suitable for meetings, lectures, receptions and spontaneous initiatives.
Site and schedule
Together with the students of the U-council a proposal has been made. Based on the proposal, the Executive Board has decided that the permanent informal meeting place will be added at Utrecht Science Park. The proposed site is central to several walking routes and other routes at Princetonplein (which is still due for renovation). The timetable of this project depends on the demolition of the Earth Sciences building, with the proposed site becoming available once the demolition has been completed. This will likely be in late 2021.