Leiden University continues work on vibrant neighbourhood at Leiden Bio Science Park
Students and international staff are already living in the Entrance Area at the Leiden Bio Science Park. Construction has now begun on MORE8: 141 rental homes for a broader group, with a supermarket and cafés. ‘It’s starting to feel like a neighbourhood.’
MORE8 consists of two residential buildings next to the former University Sports Centre. The high-rise will feature 97 mid-market and free-sector rental homes, with space on the ground floor for a supermarket and small retail units.
‘The area is gaining something that is currently in short supply: everyday amenities within walking distance. This will make the area feel more like a real urban neighbourhood’, says Kelly Verberne, from Leiden University’s Real Estate Directorate, which is involved in the development of the LSBP.
The sweetie
The low-rise building will house 44 social housing flats and a café. Those involved affectionately refer to the building as ‘the sweetie’. And with good reason, says Verbene, ‘The building really stands out. It’s smaller than the other buildings in the area and will feature a wooden facade with fresh green accents inside the window frames and a green rooftop garden for residents.’
The taller building will include a green courtyard where residents and visitors can meet. This has the potential to make MORE8 more than a residential building: it will help make the area greener, livelier and more open.
The building will be equipped with solar panels and connected to a thermal energy storage system, providing sustainable heating and cooling. MORE8 is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
A place to linger
MORE8 is not the only development in the Entrance Area. Leiden University is working to transform the LBST into a place where people can live, work, study and innovate.
The next steps are already underway next to MORE8, as the former University Sports Centre is being prepared for demolition to make way for 163 affordable owner-occupied homes. There will also be space for a food court or café that remains open into the evening.
What makes this project distinctive is the modular construction method used to build the homes: large sections will be manufactured off-site and then assembled on site. This speeds up the construction process and reduces disruption on the building site.
Tree-lined square, sports facilities and a health centre
The Entrance Area will continue to develop over the coming years. Plans include a green tree-lined square, a pond, sports facilities, a building with mid-range rental flats, a hotel with co-working spaces and two residential towers that will also house a health centre. These developments will ensure that the Entrance Area becomes not just the entrance to the campus, but also a green urban neighbourhood where campus life and city life meet.