The Student Hotel in Delft, sustainable accommodation by KCAP

As part of a brand new, exciting concept of hospitality, The Student Hotel brings together students, hotel accommodation, co-working, meeting and events all under the one roof. The group’s facilities are located in many of the major European cities, like Barcelona, and a new one opened its doors just last week in Delft, home to the famous University of Technology.
The architecture project by the design studio KCAP connects with the bus square, the old station building and the new intercity station hall with municipal offices. With an area of 13,500 m^2, this hub features 340 hotel rooms, a gym, restaurant, and a library, in addition to conference facilities and co-working areas, all guided by the underlying importance of interacting with and opening up to the urban context.
The new architecture softens the leap in scale between the prominent buildings on the Phoenixstraat and the more delicate fabric of the Koendersbuurt district. Edward Schuurmans, a partner of KCAP, explains the guiding concept underlying the project: “With the lively and transparent plinth containing many public facilities, The Student Hotel is a present to the station square of Delft. The architecture presents a soft vintage boldness that suits vigorous student life.” 
The striking interior design by The Invisible Party studio accentuates this ambience by using furniture made of sustainable materials. At the same time, the plinth is clad in glass panels alternating with concrete columns and welcomes passers-by with an interplay of reflection, light and shadow. This connects with the vibrant streetscape and engages with the station forecourt towards the nearby park. The upper floors, which have a more solid appearance in warmer, earthy tones, feature communal student kitchens in the glazed corners of the building.
The KCAP architects positioned the rooms around a patio to create an efficient, compact layout that fosters community building. 
In addition to community building and social interaction, sustainability is an essential focus in the design. The project stands out because it uses cutting-edge installation, construction, and engineering techniques, like a soil-based thermal energy CHP system and applies a circular economy approach to the interiors of the ground floor and common areas. It is located right on a public transportation hub and even has bicycle storage amenities, showcasing the commitment of TSH to sustainable mobility. The hotel in Delft is the first of The Student Hotel group hotels in the Netherlands to be certified as BREEAM Very Good. KCAP achieved this result by working with the experts from Nieman Raadgevende Ingenieurs.
With its classic, clear architecture, The Student Hotel Delft helps to create a lively district and fosters engagement and interaction between the hotel guests and the city of Delft.

Christiane Bürklein

Project: KCAP
Collaborators: BAM Bouw en Techniek - Projects (contractor, structural engineering and planning), Bectro Installation technology (light and MEP), Nieman Raadgevende Ingenieurs (building physics, fire safety and sustainability), The Invisible Party together with TSH Design Studio (interior), The Fiction Factory (furniture and advice on sustainable materials), The Good Plastics Company (recycled plastic wall elements), Municipality of Delft
Location: Delft, The Netherlands
Year: 2020
Images: Ossip van Duivenbode, Steve Herud