The TU has big plans for redesigning the campus. About one billion guilders worth of plans, in fact. Foreign students unaccustomed to the TU put this ‘Masterplan’ in a new light.
What would they do if they could change absolutely anything?
‘It needs more colour, more life!’ was the reaction of Nina, who describes the campus, and mainly her ‘own’ Civil Engineering building, as depressing and grey. Like many other interviewees who do the same study as she does, she complains: ‘So much concrete!’
Only Roham, an Iranian student, appreciates the campus’ appearance: ‘It’s a nice mixture of old and new, high and low buildings and with some very good architecture.’ All the others agree with Nina, and criticise the TU for it’s ugly and huge buildings, resembling a dull industrial park.
Fortunately, they’ve got some ideas to upgrade the TU’s concrete. Electrical Engineering student Aldo recommends more bars, cafés and restaurants with live music, maybe even coffee shops. In addition to this contribution to TU night life, he would appreciate more dormitories on campus: ‘First and last year students should get a room on campus automatically. In the first year it’s good for your social life, in the last year it helps studying for final exams.’
Others suggest special places for people to get together, ranging from a game-hall to tourist attractions: ”Why don’t we do something commercial and entertaining with all the technical knowledge we have here?” Klaus, an Industrial Design student from Germany, wonders. ”Let’s build a TU Technical Disneyland, call it ‘TU-Land’, on campus, with rides, science exhibitions, video arcades full of games and software designed and invented by TU students. It’d be a fun place to hang out after classes and it could even attract some of the millions of tourists that visit Delft each year.”
Catwalk
Crazy ideas? For this Civil Engineering student, everything goes: ”We need more flowers, more sun, more girls in tight skirts! Ugly buildings you can get used to. The campus has all the canteens in different faculties. Make one central one, and it would have more atmosphere, more fun.” Similar to Aldo’s story, he complains: ”The campus dies at night. Make it a centre for student activity % a stage for music, a catwalk, a swimming pool outside, a nude beach even!” Unfortunately, the more imaginative the suggestions, the less willing students are to give their names. Civil Engineering student ‘Sweet’ would only add this to his story: ”The students should decide how the campus should be renovated, not some architect bureau that doesn’t know anythingabout our interests. Hold a survey.”
Besides facilities for fun and recreation, students wish for better transport. ”Lousy bus connections,” complains Jefferey from Suriname. ”A tramline would be a definite improvement,” Roham declares. Evidently, he’s ignorant of TU’s Masterplan, which offers a plan for a tram running near the TU. ”Also the transport between faculties leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe a shuttle service between faculties could bring these closer together,” Roham suggests.
Aldo’s clearly acquainted with the present discussion about the tram’s route: ”The tram should be on the Mekelweg, not the Schoenmakerstraat as planned.” But no matter where the tram stops, Klaus wants free bike-rentals at the new tram stop. Students could borrow bikes for the day by showing their college ID cards.
Fraternities
Several students want more attention given to on-campus sports. One student thought a golf course would be great. Kim, a 24-year-old Physics student from Indonesia, wants an ice-skating rink. ”It’s the Dutch national sport, but it never freezes here anymore, so they should build an ice-rink for us. Maybe it could be turned into a swimming pool in the spring.”
Mohamed, a Civil Engineering student from Palestine, has other longings: ”A basketball court in the open air, where people can meet and anyone can play. That way various faculties could have stronger links, so that students don’t have to join fraternities to have a social life.”
Jefferey also complains about the lack of interaction between faculties. ”How about an inter-faculty football tournament? We’ll take on Applied Physics,” the Civil Engineering student proposes.
Maybe TU’s facilities aren’t the real problem on campus after all. Nina: ”The outside of the campus won’t change what’s going on inside. In Holland, when you step in a bus you sit as far away from each other as you can. There’s no interaction.”
Aladin, a Technical Management student from Sudan, has the same experiences: ”It’s hard to meet Dutch people. They’re difficult to approach.” He thinks the TU should organise more social activities, not only academic ones, to promote interaction, especially between cultures.
Several students agree on this chilly atmosphere. Many wag their fingers in the same direction. Mohamed: ”The lack of sun keeps people at home and puts them in bad moods. Nobody smiles here!” However, changing the Dutch climate is one suggestion that’ll be tough to implement.
The TU has big plans for redesigning the campus. About one billion guilders worth of plans, in fact. Foreign students unaccustomed to the TU put this ‘Masterplan’ in a new light. What would they do if they could change absolutely anything?
‘It needs more colour, more life!’ was the reaction of Nina, who describes the campus, and mainly her ‘own’ Civil Engineering building, as depressing and grey. Like many other interviewees who do the same study as she does, she complains: ‘So much concrete!’
Only Roham, an Iranian student, appreciates the campus’ appearance: ‘It’s a nice mixture of old and new, high and low buildings and with some very good architecture.’ All the others agree with Nina, and criticise the TU for it’s ugly and huge buildings, resembling a dull industrial park.
Fortunately, they’ve got some ideas to upgrade the TU’s concrete. Electrical Engineering student Aldo recommends more bars, cafés and restaurants with live music, maybe even coffee shops. In addition to this contribution to TU night life, he would appreciate more dormitories on campus: ‘First and last year students should get a room on campus automatically. In the first year it’s good for your social life, in the last year it helps studying for final exams.’
Others suggest special places for people to get together, ranging from a game-hall to tourist attractions: ”Why don’t we do something commercial and entertaining with all the technical knowledge we have here?” Klaus, an Industrial Design student from Germany, wonders. ”Let’s build a TU Technical Disneyland, call it ‘TU-Land’, on campus, with rides, science exhibitions, video arcades full of games and software designed and invented by TU students. It’d be a fun place to hang out after classes and it could even attract some of the millions of tourists that visit Delft each year.”
Catwalk
Crazy ideas? For this Civil Engineering student, everything goes: ”We need more flowers, more sun, more girls in tight skirts! Ugly buildings you can get used to. The campus has all the canteens in different faculties. Make one central one, and it would have more atmosphere, more fun.” Similar to Aldo’s story, he complains: ”The campus dies at night. Make it a centre for student activity % a stage for music, a catwalk, a swimming pool outside, a nude beach even!” Unfortunately, the more imaginative the suggestions, the less willing students are to give their names. Civil Engineering student ‘Sweet’ would only add this to his story: ”The students should decide how the campus should be renovated, not some architect bureau that doesn’t know anythingabout our interests. Hold a survey.”
Besides facilities for fun and recreation, students wish for better transport. ”Lousy bus connections,” complains Jefferey from Suriname. ”A tramline would be a definite improvement,” Roham declares. Evidently, he’s ignorant of TU’s Masterplan, which offers a plan for a tram running near the TU. ”Also the transport between faculties leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe a shuttle service between faculties could bring these closer together,” Roham suggests.
Aldo’s clearly acquainted with the present discussion about the tram’s route: ”The tram should be on the Mekelweg, not the Schoenmakerstraat as planned.” But no matter where the tram stops, Klaus wants free bike-rentals at the new tram stop. Students could borrow bikes for the day by showing their college ID cards.
Fraternities
Several students want more attention given to on-campus sports. One student thought a golf course would be great. Kim, a 24-year-old Physics student from Indonesia, wants an ice-skating rink. ”It’s the Dutch national sport, but it never freezes here anymore, so they should build an ice-rink for us. Maybe it could be turned into a swimming pool in the spring.”
Mohamed, a Civil Engineering student from Palestine, has other longings: ”A basketball court in the open air, where people can meet and anyone can play. That way various faculties could have stronger links, so that students don’t have to join fraternities to have a social life.”
Jefferey also complains about the lack of interaction between faculties. ”How about an inter-faculty football tournament? We’ll take on Applied Physics,” the Civil Engineering student proposes.
Maybe TU’s facilities aren’t the real problem on campus after all. Nina: ”The outside of the campus won’t change what’s going on inside. In Holland, when you step in a bus you sit as far away from each other as you can. There’s no interaction.”
Aladin, a Technical Management student from Sudan, has the same experiences: ”It’s hard to meet Dutch people. They’re difficult to approach.” He thinks the TU should organise more social activities, not only academic ones, to promote interaction, especially between cultures.
Several students agree on this chilly atmosphere. Many wag their fingers in the same direction. Mohamed: ”The lack of sun keeps people at home and puts them in bad moods. Nobody smiles here!” However, changing the Dutch climate is one suggestion that’ll be tough to implement.
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