The former Maastricht School of Management building at Endepolsdomein 150, for example, is expected to undergo major renovations starting next summer. For students from the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN) who currently attend classes there, this will mean a short walk of a few hundred metres to Gaetano Martinolaan. Similarly, the Peter Debyeplein 1 gets a make-over and Duboisdomein 30 will be temporarily vacated while the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) constructs a new lecture hall. Finally, Universiteitssingel 50 has been the site of a logistical puzzle for years; the building is gradually being fully renovated, requiring several temporary relocations along the way.
Even after the construction dust has settled, the new building will continue to be useful, says UM real estate developer Ralph Herben. “That’s why we chose to purchase it. Given its prime location – directly opposite the FSE building at Paul-Henri Spaaklaan 1 – and the expectation that faculties in Randwyck will need more space over the coming years, it’s a sound decision for the long term.”
Before it can be used as temporary accommodation, however, the interior of the building itself will be redesigned. “We don’t want just one large open-plan office”, explains Herben. He expects the work to take no more than six months.