Crown Princess Mary sent up balloons as DTU celebrated the official inauguration of Hempel Kollegiet, DTU.
Om 13 September, DTU welcomed HRH Crown Princess Mary when she visited Lyngby Campus for the inauguration of the new hall of residence—Hempel Kollegiet, DTU.
International and Danish students were ready in their shared kitchen to meet Crown Princess Mary on her guided tour of the residence hall. The Crown Princess was curious to know how the students agree on sharing the kitchen.
Mary talking with Hempel Kollegiet residents. Photos: Bax Lindhardt.
The 200 rooms and the kitchens at Hempel Kollegiet are fully furnished and thus an ideal solution for both international and Danish students looking for accommodation. During the guided tour of the residence hall, Mary also met a fellow countryman, the Australian student Clair Lewis, who showed her room to the Crown Princess.
The Australian student Clair Lewis shows Mary her room, which offers a view of the oak forest surrounding the residence hall.
Hempel Kollegiet, DTU is the result of a generous donation from the Hempel Foundation. In his speech at the inauguration, DTU President Anders Bjarklev said:
“We’re honoured and grateful that the Hempel Foundation chose DTU as recipient of this unique donation. Being able to offer housing for students from Korea, Malaysia, Portugal, and France makes it easier for DTU to attract these students and not only offer them an excellent academic stay, but also a vibrant study environment with both Danish and international students, where they can create networks for conversations, parties, and friendships. It may also be their network for future projects, exchanges, and jobs.”
President Anders Bjarklev (left) and Richard Sand, Chairman of the Hempel Foundation (middle), talking to HRH Crown Princess Mary at the inauguration.
The chairman of Polyteknisk Forening (PF student association), Mette Bybjerg Bock, welcomed the new residents to Lyngby Campus, and she is excited to see what kind of culture develops at the new residence hall:
“DTU students live in different residence halls, but they share a feeling of community that is created through the traditions and events characterizing each residence hall. These traditions are really important. But they require an effort. To begin with, you must make an effort to create great moments, and I hope that you want to do so. To all of you, who have just moved in: Enjoy it. There will be times where you will get annoyed and want to move, but there will also be a lot of fun nights with watching films and cooking meals together.”
Chairman of PF, Mette Bybjerg Bock, is looking forward to seeing how Hempel Kollegiet develops its own culture and profile among DTU’s residence halls on Lyngby Campus.
Crown Princess Mary inaugurated the residence hall by cutting loose a bunch of green, biodegradable balloons with a pair of big golden scissors.
President Anders Bjarklev and HRH Crown Princess Mary looking at the balloons flying into the rainy sky.
The poor weather did not spoil the good mood.
- Framed by 50-year-old oak trees, the 7,400 m² Hempel Kollegiet, DTU is located at the western edge of DTU Lyngby Campus.
- The residential facility is organized in three clusters, with each cluster comprising two buildings with 12 and 13 units on two and three floors. The architecture is based on the fact that the students should have a place to immerse themselves in their studies while at the same time being an active part of DTU’s student and campus community. Therefore, the facility features a hierarchy of communities both inside and outside.
- The three U-shaped clusters are all oriented towards a communal green area with a shared access road, which winds its way through the area between small garden spaces with different identity for spending time close to the buildings and the large, open shared terraces.
- The students have access to their units via open outdoor stairways and terraces in order to stimulate social activity and to ensure that Danish and international students living side by side at Hempel Kollegiet, DTU regularly meet each other.
- On each floor, 12 students share a kitchen and a study lounge, and they also share a large communal terrace with the 12 neighbouring units.
Photos: Kontraframe
