StudBO, a conference and forum for all those involved in student housing in Sweden, is held every other year. In October 2019, the co-hosts were MKB and AF Bostäder. Approximately 250 participants from all over Sweden joined politicians, housing experts and inspirational speakers to talk about the significance of student housing for a city.
Student Housing Companies is a trade organisation for all who own, develop, manage and arrange student housing. The association has over 70 member companies and represents approximately 80% of Sweden’s student housing.
“All those involved in student housing in Sweden have a common task and together we have accumulated considerable knowledge,” says Henrik Krantz, CEO at AF Bostäder.
“Through the trade organisation we can exchange experiences. Together, we can create conditions for a good student housing market by, among other things, highlighting important issues and influencing political decisions.”
The StudBO concept is owned by Student Housing Companies, but is arranged in cooperation with one of the member companies. MKB and AF Bostäder jointly organised the programme for StudBO19 over two successful days at Malmö Börshus. On stage were leading politicians from Malmö and Lund, representatives from the university and a number of experts and researchers covering everything from societal planning to social anthropology. The event was professionally moderated by TV presenter, Johan Wester.
“The theme for this year was the role of student housing in a city, something in which MKB and AF Bostäder are both heavily engaged”, says Henrik Krantz. “It concerns what student housing can add to, or change, in the city landscape, not just in terms of the housing’s location, but how the presence of the students can improve life in a city.”
“We should not regard students and student housing as an isolated phenomenon”, says Henrik Krantz. “It is important for municipalities and those involved in the built environment to understand and value investments in student housing. Students are young people with goals and ambitions. They are good role models. Having student housing in a city quarter is a positive and constant force, as new, young and dynamic tenants are coming in all the time. The students contribute to life and movement, they are present around the clock and are also a target group of interest for many types of business, which stimulates an increased range of services in the local area. Those who want to have living city districts with stable city quarters make a good decision when investing in students as a part of forming the cityscape.”
Student housing can play different roles depending on how and where it is located in the city. The conference highlighted good examples from student housing companies nationwide and the participants also made study visits to MKB in Malmö and AF Bostäder in Lund.
The participants could choose between two options, one focusing on student housing’s role in the city and one focusing on co-living. In Malmö, delegates visited Stapelbädden and Greenhouse. Stapelbädden in Västra Hamnen is a social student housing area close to the park, Stapelbäddsparken. Greenhouse in Augustenborg has, among other things, a cultivation theme.
“In Lund, we looked at Sagoeken and Marathon”, says Henrik Krantz. “Sagoeken is prefabricated entirely in wood and placed on top of a municipal school and preschool for a total of 300 children, something that contributes to life and movement and increased security for all those in the area. Marathon is a dynamic quarter in a top location in the middle of the Science Road in Lund. The area links the city centre with the Faculty of Engineering (LTH).”
“The conference also offered good discus¬sions with housing companies, politicians and the university on topics such as students’ significance for a city’s brand, how city residents are affected by their surroundings, investment support’s effect on housing companies and local markets, the effect of the timing of course starts on the housing situation, and various sustainability issues”, concludes Henrik Krantz.
StudBO 2021 will be arranged by SGS Studentbostäder in Gothenburg.
Latest update April 14, 2020