Designed in accordance with the Academic Society’s and prize-winning architect Bengt Edman’s visions of a student city within the city, and just as much loved as hated for its brutalist architecture, Sparta is constantly one of AF Bostäder’s most popular student housing areas. Sparta is now undergoing a careful renovation, so it can remain standing strong for many years to come.
Sparta, built in 1970, is AF Bostäder’s third-largest property. This powerful, eye-catching building in green, grooved concrete, is ideally located in the middle of the student thoroughfare that stretches from Kämnärsrätten, via the Ideon research village and the Faculty of Engineering (LTH), down to the centre of Lund. The famous building has 539 corridor rooms and 16 apartments, as well as shops, a gym, services, study rooms and AF Bostäder’s main office and Service Centre.
“Sparta was built in the final years of the extensive Million Programme,” says Henrik Krantz, CEO at AF Bostäder. “The project attracted a lot of attention – Tage Erlander took part in the groundbreaking ceremony and Olof Palme in the inauguration. The architecture is special. The building integrates outwards and opens inwards where light comes from inner courtyards and skylights above the second floor’s suspended corridors. As Sparta was conceived as a student building that you almost never have to leave, the interior is designed as a city street where interior and exterior environments melt into each other.”
Some years ago, the property was divided three dimensionally and the commercial parts were divested in order to focus and improve the efficiency of AF Bostäder’s student housing operations. Sparta has now passed the 50-year mark and, in addition to regular maintenance, the property is now facing some crucial renovation projects.
“As with all our properties, we proceed in a careful and well-thought-through way,” says Henrik Krantz. “Sparta has considerable value as an asset in the Foundation’s portfolio but also as a high profile in the cityscape and an icon in Lund’s student life. First out among our new investments at Sparta is the renovation of windows, drainage pipes and rainwater runoff.”
The original windows are made of aluminium with a wooden core. They open inwards which, among other things, has resulted in the wooden frame becoming damaged over time in connection with airing. A major challenge in the project is that the original joints contain PCB and must be decontaminated in connection with the window replacement.
“The original intention was that all the windows would be replaced at the same time, but we have decided to carry out the project in stages,” says Henrik Krantz. “The total cost will be about the same, but we will have better control over the process. During the PCB decontamination, the students will move to temporary housing, but only for a few days. The first stage has already been completed and the next starts in the spring of 2025. We estimate that all replacements will be completed within a five-year period.”
The pipe renovation began in 2024 with a pilot project. The drainage pipes are enclosed in a concrete frame in a way that makes them difficult to access. In addition, sections of the pipe run below commercial premises, which means the project must be executed in a way that minimises the risk of complications.
“The original pipes are made of a sort of plastic that has become very brittle over the years. That is why we have concluded that relining is the best solution, and following tests in the pilot project we have a secure, practicable and long-term sustainable method. Relining is also advantageous for the property’s tenants. The students must be provided with temporary bathrooms, but only for 1 to 2 days instead of several weeks as in a conventional pipe replacement. In addition, the noise disturbance will be negligible. In connection with the pipe renovation, we will also overhaul the roof runoff. Sparta is also unique in this respect with a system in which the water goes down vertical pipes in the middle of the building. These will also be strengthened for the future by relining,” says Henrik Krantz.
Latest update June 19, 2025