27 December 2025
|
Story Michelle Nöthling
|
Photo Stephen Collett
A one-metre roof lift in the Provisioning Building unlocks a full new floor – now home to modern offices and a boardroom for Supply Chain Management.
Have you ever watched someone come alive when they talk about work that they love? That joy is unmistakable in Nico Janse van Rensburg, Senior Director of Facilities Planning at the university, as he describes the latest architectural developments transforming all three campuses.
“Our new SRC offices on the Bloemfontein Campus are a particular point of pride,” Janse van Rensburg says. The once-familiar Roosmaryn dining hall has been reimagined into a contemporary office space for the SRC and Student Governance Office, designed with optimal space usage and universal accessibility in mind. Acoustic panels offer privacy, while the layout reflects a modern approach. “Through this development,” he adds, “we want to show students that we hold them in high regard.”
Another standout project is the renovation of the Provisioning Building, which houses Supply Chain Management. By raising the roof by just one metre, an entire new floor became available – complete with elegant offices and a boardroom. It is a simple yet inventive use of space that speaks to the university’s culture of innovation.
Over at the Faculty of Health Sciences, the old Frik Scott Library in the Francois Retief Building has been reborn as the Postgraduate Hub. The space now features a comfortable lounge that encourages conversation, private study booths, staff and administrative offices, and intimate lecture rooms equipped with portable screens and a 3-D printer. Outside the lift, an intricately carved Cecil Skotnes artwork lends a striking touch.
On the South Campus, creativity takes centre stage in the repurposed Isifundo E lecture hall. One half is now a dynamic Student Incubator Space – a bright, collaborative environment where students can grow entrepreneurial ideas, host presentations, and engage with industry partners. The other half houses the new Micro-Teaching venue for the Faculty of Education, complete with a two-way mirror for real-time observation and feedback during teaching practise.
Meanwhile, on the Qwaqwa Campus, the Division of Student Affairs has moved into its own purpose-built home featuring offices, reception, a boardroom, and staff facilities. Plans are also underway to expand the campus clinic as well as a new Postgraduate Hub that will serve as a centre for academic growth.
Across all three campuses, these projects share one purpose: to create spaces that do not just function – they speak of belonging, innovation, and respect.