Bamberg has been trying for years to alleviate the strained housing market by building several hundred student apartments. Another new dormitory was finally ready for occupancy last winter semester. The Würzburg Student Union built affordable housing for around 100 students on Coburger Straße, close to the university. With balconies for all apartments, the competition design by hsd Architekten from Lemgo ensures a high quality of living. Compact floorboards from Naturinform, which were used to furnish balconies and terraces, are easy to maintain and slip-resistant, as well as aesthetically pleasing.

From 2014 to 2016, the Würzburg Student Union built the new student residence hall on a site conveniently located for students, close to many university institutions. It offers accommodation for around 100 students. A new development plan by the city made it possible to create urgently needed student housing on Bamberg's former gardening land. The difficulties in developing the site were due, on the one hand, to the very narrow, elongated layout and, on the other, to the very noisy Coburger Straße. However, the competition winners, hsd Architekten from Lemgo, impressed the jury with their design of a dynamic, curved building form that fits perfectly into the existing space and brilliantly meets the many requirements.

A red flash for student housing

The three-story new building houses 53 single-bedroom apartments, eight double-bedroom apartments, and five triple-bedroom apartments. To accommodate special needs, there are three apartments for single parents, two for couples with children, and two apartments with disabled access. Pedestrian access is via Coburger Straße, with an entrance in the middle of the building. This is also where the common rooms are located. "The goal of our design was to promote communication between students. That's why we placed the common area in the middle and designed a spacious garden," explained architect Christian Decker. Terraces from the common rooms lead to the green area at the rear of the property. Volleyball and basketball courts, benches, and a barbecue area were created on the large green area for communal activities. Here, too, the goal is to facilitate interaction between students.

High quality of living despite noisy street situation

It was difficult to keep noise emissions from Coburger Straße and the nearby railway line to a minimum. Consequently, hsd Architekten installed arcades on the street side, which both provide noise protection and allow access to the apartments. All living and sleeping areas were consistently oriented toward the quiet garden side, where they open onto projecting balconies. To further enhance the quality of living, all residential units were given balconies or terraces facing the garden. The cantilevered ceilings of the balconies also serve as sun protection. All balconies and terraces are covered with Compact floorboards from NaturinForm, whose gray tone subtly reflects the color of the exposed concrete look of the rear building.

Leisure time in front of the balcony

The properties of the Compact floorboards are perfectly tailored to student requirements and needs. From "B" for a pleasant barefoot feeling to "W" for high weather resistance. NaturinForm floorboards are made from a wood composite system. This means that wood – in the case of NaturinForm, this is 100% PEFC-certified wood from ecologically managed forests – is combined with an environmentally friendly, high-quality polymer. Despite the plastic component (less than 30%), they feel like real wood to the eye and touch. When walking barefoot, you feel warm wood under your feet, but there is no risk of slipping or injuring yourself with splinters. Added to this is their good weather resistance, which minimizes maintenance and care. The wood composite material is water and weatherproof without the need for varnishing or oiling, and green growth does not take hold. Green growth promotes dangerous slipping. NaturinForm's Compact flooring has been specifically tested for slip resistance by TÜV Rheinland/LGA. It achieved a rating of R12 according to DIN 51130 and Class C – the highest possible rating – according to DIN 51097. The grooved structure of the "honeycomb profile" also significantly reduces the risk of slipping.