AF Bostäder is driving one of Sweden’s biggest initiatives in sustainable student housing at Kämnärsrätten. Rhodos, a new quarter inaugurated in the summer of 2024, was awarded the Student Housing Prize for, among other things, pleasant accommodation, green outdoor environments and low climate impact. Students, relatives and friends gathered for the move-in and inauguration.
At Kämnärsrätten, AF Bostäder is transforming an area of old module buildings (also known as four-leaf clover houses) into a modern campus environment. A long-term sustainable city district is taking shape, consisting of six innovative quarters along a unifying pedestrian and cycle path with green spaces, areas for activities and places for socialising. The number of residents has more than doubled from just over 700 students to almost 1 800, while energy consumption has been halved.
“What all the quarters have in common is that we strive for an inviting living environment with a focus on well-being and health, low energy consumption and climate-friendly solutions,” says Martin Jacobsson, Property Development Manager at AF Bostäder. “We also strive to surpass ourselves with each new housing area we construct. Rhodos is therefore the result of 15 years of accumulated experience of sustainable housing construction.”
Rhodos consists of one high-rise building, one large L-shaped building and two intertwined external corridor buildings, all of varying designs, heights and sizes. The exteriors of the buildings have natural colour tones with facades characterised by recurrent, triangular bay windows. The green courtyard is pleasantly framed with plenty of places for activities and socialising. There is also a beautiful and secluded orangery, tastefully integrated into the landscape. The orangery, built from reused windows and heated by residual heat from the laundry room, is ideal for everything from growing plants to spontaneous coffee breaks.
“Thanks to our climate impact calculations from the two previous quarters, Hippocampus and Pireus, we have been able to develop solutions for the entire building process – material selection, production methods, transport and construction – which means that the climate impact for Rhodos is under 160 kilo carbon dioxide equivalents per sqm (gross floor space),” says Martin Jacobsson. “And we can add that energy consumption is around half of requirement set by the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, and that there are good conditions for biodiversity.”
Rhodos offers 186 apartments, providing accommodation for 269 students. There are both one-room apartments and shared apartments for 2 to 3 friends. The move-in phase took place in the summer and autumn of 2024, in June for three of the buildings and September for the fourth.
“For those of us who develop student housing, the move-in days are festive occasions,” says Martin Jacobsson. “It’s especially pleasing to see the students on site in their new homes. We are there along with staff from the whole company who serve refreshments, ensure that the students and parents find the right place and help to organise vans and trailers.”
The area was officially opened in August, and this was celebrated with around 100 guests and a programme that included speeches, lunch and a guided tour. A while after the inauguration, it was announced that Rhodos was the winner of the Student Housing Prize for 2024. The prize, awarded by the sector organisation, Studentbostadsföretagen, recognises innovation, sustainability and design in newly produced student housing.
“The jury stated that the housing was characterised by consideration for people and the environment and that there is a great variation for different life situations, space for socialising and successful initiatives for ecological sustainability and low climate impact. It’s gratifying, of course, when our visions are recognised and it gives us extra motivation to continue to develop sustainable solutions for future student housing,” says Martin Jacobsson.
Latest update June 19, 2025