Relocation of activities and areas

The move from Fuglesangs Allé to the new University City will gather all of Aarhus BSS’ activities across Nørrebrogade. Below, you can read more about what this entails for the school’s facilities and physical environment.


Shared facilities

The coming relocation of Aarhus BSS’ activities from Fuglesangs Allé to the University City will make the Department of Economics and Business Economics and the Department of Management a part of the central AU campus, connecting them closely with the departments in the north-eastern corner of the University Park. This will allow them to use a number of shared facilities at the university campus, just as the departments in and around the University Park do.

At present, the gross area at Fuglesangs Allé (49,365 m2) includes an underground parking facility, a library, and selected administrative facilities as well as storage space and storerooms. These facilities can be shared with the central university campus in the future. As a result, they do not enter into Aarhus BSS’ future gross area in the University City (36,203 m2).

Area per student full time equivalent

You can compare the available space at Fuglesangs Allé and in the University City by comparing the net area per student full time equivalent (student FTEs). The net area is calculated based on internal measurements and corresponds to the actual floor area in the buildings. This means it is a better indicator of the available space than the gross area.

A calculation of square metres based on net area per student FTEs results in 3.6 m2/FTEs at Fuglesangs Allé and 3.5 m2/FTEs at University City.

Area optimisation requirements

Due to a limit on the percentage of revenue tied up by rent – and in accordance with the Danish National Audit Office’s preliminary examination of the universities’ capacity control in relation to buildings – it has been necessary to increase density and optimise areas with 10% in the plans for the new buildings.

The reduction will primarily affect areas reserved for offices and administrative facilities. The goal has been to optimise the office areas for employees and e.g. reduce the size of the average office, so that study areas are affected as little as possible.

Development of related area

A plan for developing a related area in the University Park (approximately 4,500 m2 in the north-eastern corner) is in preparation in order to create a unified Aarhus BSS in the central campus of Aarhus University. The aim is to optimise the utilisation of space with special focus on the development and integration of study environments, including study areas and teaching for all students at Aarhus BSS. At present, the area in the north-eastern corner is not used to its full potential, both in regards to classrooms and study space.

Timetabling system and booking of rooms

The implementation of a new university-wide timetabling system will support a better utilisation of rooms, reducing the overall strain on Aarhus BSS’ premises.

Study environment

By moving to the University City, Aarhus BSS will not gain more square metres. This premise was known from the beginning of the project. However, the study environment will be improved, for one thing because the lecture theatres and classrooms in the University City will be able to accommodate more than one function.

A number of circumstances that currently influence he lack of space students experience at Fuglesangs Allé will no longer apply when the two departments move to the University City. Part of the study environment at Fuglesangs Allé consists of two multi-purpose rooms which are also used for various events. In addition, the largest of the two multi-purpose rooms is used when conducting written exams. For these reasons, the study areas are often unavailable to students, whereas the study areas in the University City are intended and optimised for use as study environment only.  As a minimum, Aarhus BSS’ calculations have been directed at maintaining the same number of study spaces as at Fuglesangs Allé.

Study zones: Different types of study zones will be set up, including zones for studying in peace, in-depth and as a group as well as modern study spaces based on specific student needs and requests. Study spaces, group rooms and study zones will be located near classrooms and academic environments, ensuring a cohesive and versatile study environment with direct access from the main street in the University City. Students will find it easier and less time-consuming to access the study environment compared to the situation at Fuglesangs Allé, where the study areas are scattered throughout campus.

Vacant group rooms: When moving to the new buildings, the university will introduce a better, digital overview of vacant group rooms to help students find a study space. Another focal point will be an improved and more systematic utilisation of areas close to classrooms and lecture theatres. By furnishing these areas to primarily suit smaller groups of two to three students, it will be possible to preserve larger group rooms for groups of a different size.

Quality: Compared to the existing study environment at Fuglesangs Allé, the study environment in the University City will also represent an improvement in terms of quality. One crucial objective of the relocation is to optimise the use of square metres in order to meet the students’ fair expectations for a modern study environment when moving to the University City.

Classrooms

To free up square metres for a versatile study environment, less space is reserved for classrooms in the University City. The number of classrooms in the University City should be considered together with the number of classrooms in the University Park and the opportunity to use these more intensively.

Consultation and involvement

As part of an extensive consultation prior to the tender process, students and employees proposed ideas and solutions for an improved utilisation of available space. These ideas included versatile rooms which could be used for teaching, studying and teamwork alike, as well as a general design ensuring cohesion between study areas and the academic environments.

The close involvement of students and employees will continue to have high priority when designing specific areas in the coming stages of the project.

Facts about the study area

Fuglesangs Allé

Upper multi-purpose room: 285 m2
Lower multi-purpose room: 550 m2
Balcony: 276 m2
Study areas, incl. 'Klubben': 833 m2
Group rooms: 693 m2
Study spaces, incl. library: 682 m2
Study area in total: 3.319 m2

University City

Group rooms: 758 m2
Reading rooms: 500 m2
Open study zone: 1.457 m2
'Klubben': 294 m2
Study area in total: 3.009 m2
Lobby of lecture theatre: 794 m2
Study area in total: 3.803 m2


All areas are net areas, which are based on internal measurements (corresponding to the floor area).