Mecanoo’s Langebrug Student Housing has been named the jury's winner of the 2017 edition of the RAP Leiden Awards this Wednesday, 29th November, alongside JHK Architecten with the public vote. In the final shortlist compromising ten projects, Mecanoo had another entree with Student Housing Yours.
The jury on Langebrug Student Housing: “A brilliant idea that has been elaborated with great craftsmanship.” Furthermore, the jury states: “The project fits perfectly in terms of size and scale with new routes being added to the city. This makes the building fit in the historic city centre of Leiden.”
The Langebrug project lies in the heart of the historical centre of Leiden. The dynamic history of the location resulted in the complete disappearance of the original medieval street plan of alleyways and courtyards woven between main corridors.
The redevelopment of the area into housing for 250 students has restored the medieval street patterns using existing and new garden walls to define the edges of the historical alleys. The buildings have been designed as compact apartment complexes.
During the first phase, a historic corner property was redeveloped into approximately thirty individual residences. The remaining residences were subsequently developed throughout five separate building volumes. During this process, the former fire hose drying tower and a fragment of the church facade along Langebrug Street were preserved. The green courtyards, visible through the open ports in the garden walls, contrast with the small red pavers in the alleyways.
RAP is a knowledge platform with an important focus on spatial planning, architecture and urban development. The mission of RAP is to keep the population interested and engaged in the growth of the city. The interpretation of 'architecture' is broad: from urban design to interior design and from landscape design to art in public space.
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