In a project lasting several years, AF Bostäder is transforming the old student housing quarter at Kämnärsrätten into a green and long-term sustainable city district. Hippocampus, a varied and pleasant quarter providing space for 233 Lund students, will be completed in 2021. Among other things, the area offers a height record and one of Lund’s highest vantage points.
Kämnärsrätten was previously a homogenous 1960s area with car-dominated streets and uniform buildings. Under AF Bostäder’s management, the city district is being changed step by step into an exciting campus environment with a strong focus on sustainability. The new Kämnärsrätten will be a lively area that prioritises cyclists and pedestrians. A park-like activity thoroughfare is being created to pass through the new quarter and includes social spaces, greenery and smart solutions for waste management.
“Hippocampus will be the third student housing quarter out of a total of seven new quarters at Kämnärsrätten,” says Martin Jacobsson, building project manager at AF Bostäder. “Hippocampus consists of four buildings of varying design and height – one angular terrace building, one low-rise terrace building and two tower blocks – which together frame a green space. The quarter will be pleasant with an exciting design. One of the buildings has a large, long sloping sedum roof and two grand long sides with tiles right up to the ridge of the roof. The buildings are constructed in concrete, but despite their size and bulk they give a light impression with light sand-coloured facades and elements of turquoise and brown tones.”
“Hippocampus is named after an area in the limbic system of the brain that is important for our ability to remember as well as our sense of direction – not least when we are to explore new territory,” says Martin Jacobsson. “This is apt, as we are also breaking a height record for AF Bostäder with our first 10-storey building. In addition, it is located on a rise, so it will be a fine viewing spot where students with future visions can look out over Lund, Skåne and the Öresund Strait!”
“The building complies with our Sustainability Manual and the requirements of Miljöbyggnad Silver including sound material choices, green spaces, solutions for managing urban runoff and lower energy consumption than the requirements set for new builds” says Martin Jacobsson. “As usual, we also have cyclists in mind. All tenants get their own bike parking space under cover and we are setting up a small workshop where the tenants can fix their bikes.”
Hippocampus offers apartments with 1–4 rooms plus kitchen. A new feature is that all kitchens are equipped with induction cookers. Four-room plus kitchen apartments also have a dishwasher.
“In each new area we build, we try to apply experience gained from the earlier ones, and achieve improvements,” says Martin Jacobsson. “Dishwashers are always high on the wish-list and it was possible to include them in the larger apartments. Induction cookers do not just raise the standard, but also offer a safety enhancement, as induction technology reduces the risk of cooking fires.”
At Hippocampus, AF Bostäder will also carry out climate impact calculations for the first time, in connection with the construction work.
“By carrying out climate impact calculations at Hippocampus and the next housing area, Pireus, we want to map the sources of emissions in our new construction and in time reduce our climate impact,” says Martin Jacobsson. “The long-term goal is to be able to work according to a defined climate goal, which we can relate to during project planning and construction.”
“All the buildings at Hippocampus are completed externally and we are now working on the interiors. We begin the inspection phase in the spring of 2021 and Hippocampus will be ready for people to move in for the autumn semester of 2021,” says Martin Jacobsson.
Latest update May 26, 2021