Names student housing buildings on TU/e campus known: Castor, Pollux and Terra

Meaning of the names Castor, Pollux and Terra

The two towers will be called Castor and Pollux. Castor is the name for the tower on the west side and the east tower will be called Pollux. The name for the low-rise between the two towers will be Terra. Castor and Pollux are the names of the two brightest stars in the constellation Gemini.

The names come from Greek mythology and refer to the twin brothers who are considered adventurous explorers. The twin brothers refer to the appearance of the 2 towers. Terra refers to Terra Mater (mother earth): the personification of the earth. This as a reference to the low-rise building.

Naming: a new step in the project

“We are taking another step in this project with the announcement of the names of the buildings,” Roy Beijnsberger says. “With the 735 student housing units, we are making an important contribution to providing nice and affordable homes for students. A vibrant living community of students will soon emerge at this new spot on campus.”

Robert-Jan Smits adds: “Comfortable and affordable housing is crucial for an enjoyable and successful student period. As a university, we are not allowed to invest in student housing ourselves. But, through the student housing covenant, we collaborate intensively with partners to make developments possible. This project is a great example of that kind of collaboration. We are proud that we can do our part in this way, to meet the great need for student housing. And that we can do that in a beautiful, lively, and green location on our campus.”

Students and staff volunteered the names

For the naming of the new buildings, a request to come up with the names was made to TU/e students and employees. A total of 300 suggestions for names were submitted. A committee consisting of students and employees made the final choice for the new naming of the buildings.

Structure of the housing plan

The plan (designed by architectural firm VenhoevenCS) consists of two residential towers and a student village (low-rise). The tower on the west side will contain 278 student housing units, while the eastern tower consists of 371 student housing units. Both towers are about 50 meters high (16 residential floors). Between the two towers will be the ‘student village’ with 86 homes divided into 5 streets with 2 floors, intended for group living.

Both the high-rise and low-rise buildings will contain various facilities to support the vibrant community on campus where living, studying and recreation come together. The TU/e is pleased with this expansion of student facilities alongside the already existing Luna and Aurora residential towers. The residences will be built by Heijmans and will be built on the spot where 'the Pavilion', the first TU/e building from 1956, used to stand.