Europe’s First College Building Entirely Constructed From Solid Wood Opens in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is now home to the first college building in Europe entirely constructed from solid wood, according to a recent profile by dezeen (3-14-24). The Dutch architectural studio Powerhouse Company has created the Marga Klompé Building situated on the forested campus at Tilburg University.

The cuboid building has a mass timber structure, and facades clad in Portuguese stone. The main structure and internal wood finishes were made from pine, while the external columns punctuating glazing on the ground floor were made from larch. CLT floors were reinforced with beams to allow for large column-free spans in the 33-by-33-meter building.

The Powerhouse Company clad the façade with Portuguese stone, which it says was selected because of its long lifespan and the ability to be disassembled, dezeen reported. The studio opted for a combination of wood and stone for sustainability reasons as well as aesthetic, resembling the surrounding trees and other nearby buildings on the campus. A large timber staircase in the double-height foyer leads from the ground floor to the first and second floors.

The Marga Klompé Building contains a foyer, auditorium, 13 lecture halls, and a self-study space for around 1,000 students.