Humanities Campus development plans altered
The development plans for the Humanities Campus are changing somewhat. The financial challenges at the Faculty of Humanities and the higher education cuts mean Leiden University has to reduce its spending. One consequence is the Lipsius building will not be rebuilt after demolition in 2031.
Modernising the university buildings in the Witte Singel-Doelen area and making them more sustainable remains essential to ensuring the Faculty of Humanities is future-proof and a welcoming place to be.
Lipsius Zuid plans changed
Following the completion of the Herta Mohr building, previous plans aimed to realise another building, Lipsius Zuid. The current Lipsius building on Witte Singel (from 1983) will be demolished in 2031 according to the current plans. In its place, a smaller building with facilities for students – Lipsius Zuid – and a green square were to be realised.
However, based on current insights (cost cutting and falling student numbers) the decision has been made not to build Lipsius Zuid after all. This means the Humanities Campus will have one less building, allowing the university to make significant savings. The vacant plot will remain available for potential university developments in the future.
The planned spaces that will no longer be realised due to Lipsius Zuid not being constructed will be accommodated in other buildings on the campus. Across the university, the Real Estate expertise centre is exploring how all faculties and the central organisation can make more efficient use of the available space.
Matthias de Vrieshof refurbishment design process
The realisation of Cluster Noord (the current Matthias de Vrieshof building) is the next step in the construction plans. The design process will start this year and the refurbishment is expected to begin in 2026. Building on the experience gained with the Herta Mohr building and to keep costs down, the existing structure will be preserved, while the façade will be upgraded. The new building is scheduled for completion in 2028, after which the faculty will move in.
New name
Cluster Noord/Matthias de Vrieshof will be given a new name: Aleida Nijland. Aleida Nijland (1870-1950) was the first female PhD candidate at Leiden University and the first Dutch woman to become a doctor of literature. She endeavoured to improve the position of women in the employment market. Having spent part of her youth in Batavia and studied literature in Leiden, she received her PhD cum laude in 1896.
Sustainable campus
With sustainability continuing to be a key ambition, the Arsenaal building, as with the Herta Mohr building, will be connected to a thermal energy storage system in 2025. This is a renewable energy system that uses groundwater for energy storage. Work will start in August 2025 at the earliest. There will also be a continued focus on creating a vibrant green campus heart that is part of the Singel Park route.
Faculty staff will have the opportunity to ask any questions about the revised plans at drop-in sessions and local residents will be invited to an information market.