{"id":35728,"date":"2026-01-05T14:05:30","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T13:05:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kingstreet-magazine.com\/?p=35728"},"modified":"2026-02-12T09:19:37","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T08:19:37","slug":"symbiosis-at-the-sluice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kingstreet-magazine.com\/en\/symbiose-aan-het-spui\/","title":{"rendered":"Leiden University and Brew & Bake open in former V&D building"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cGood to see you,\u201d says Vice-Rector Erwin Muller of Leiden University Campus The Hague to entrepreneur Anil Soekhoe. \u201cOur history goes back a long way.\u201d Soekhoe, known for the quintessentially Hague chocolate heaven Hop & Stork<\/a> in the Passage, explains: \u201cWe\u2019ve both been members of The Hague Economic Board for years, where we meet with the municipality and other stakeholders to discuss how we can strengthen The Hague together.\u201d<\/p>\n

A case of \u201cpractice what you preach,\u201d one might say, as the two sit down to discuss the collaboration between the university and the restaurateur at the new Campus location on the Spui. When the fully redeveloped building opens in January 2026, the ovens and coffee grinders at Soekhoe\u2019s new concept, Brew & Bake, will immediately be in full swing.<\/p>\n

Urban scale<\/h2>\n

First, a word on the expansion of the Leiden University footprint \u2013 over 20,000 m\u00b2, accommodating 4,000 students and staff \u2013 in the Hofstad, where teaching and research focus on subjects like security, international relations, and public administration. \u201cThe number of students at our programmes grows every year; a quarter of our students now study in The Hague,\u201d explains Muller. \u201cThis is partly due to the city\u2019s real-world context, which aligns perfectly with our educational offerings. Our current four locations were simply no longer sufficient.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Leiden

Main entrance: The main entrance is located in the historic fa\u00e7ade of the former V&D department store on the Spui.<\/p><\/div>\n

When the old V&D building came into view, Muller admits he had his doubts. \u201cAn old retail building without windows didn\u2019t seem suitable at first, but on closer inspection, it proved ideal: spacious enough for us as well as for the Open University, TU Delft, LUMC, and other Dutch university partners. Together, we develop programmes for students and staff, each drawing on our expertise, but also with and for the city.\u201d A preview was showcased during the Science Weekend last autumn.<\/p>\n

Connecting<\/h2>\n

\u201cAnother factor is the location,\u201d Muller continues. \u201cWhereas we are currently located on Turfmarkt, among the administrative institutions, we will soon be on the corner of Spuistraat and Spui, in the heart of the political world \u2013 our entrance will be diagonally opposite that of the House of Commons. At the same time, this is the city\u2019s shopping centre, which attracts a wide range of people.<\/p>\n

That is why we want to connect much more with the city at this location, while taking safety risks into account, and show what we do. In Leiden, with its long university tradition, this is quite normal, but here it needs to grow. The roof terrace of the new location offers a beautiful view of the Binnenhof. How cool would it be, for example, to have a public programme with lectures on politics in that location?\u201d<\/p>\n

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With two university restaurants, a gym for students and staff, a lecture hall, a large multifunctional exam hall, and a bike shed for 1,300 bicycles, there\u2019s no shortage of facilities \u2013 and all as sustainable as possible. \u201cWe\u2019re committed to the The Hague Climate Agreement, and students and staff \u2013 who work on this daily \u2013 expect it,\u201d says Muller. \u201cAs much as possible, we\u2019ve reused materials in construction and interiors, right down to the bike racks. Natural light is maximised to reduce the need for artificial lighting. The roof features greenery and solar panels. And that\u2019s just the start.\u201d<\/p>\n

Microbakery<\/h2>\n

To emphasise its open character, a publicly accessible ground floor has been created along Spuistraat. \u201cAt 45 metres, I have the longest fa\u00e7ade on Spuistraat,\u201d says a proud Anil Soekhoe. His Brew & Bake concept, a microbakery with specialty coffee for breakfast and lunch, doesn\u2019t have a direct connection to the rest of the complex, but it is all about connecting students, staff, and the shopping public. \u201cI really value the link between the university and the city. Both are internationally oriented, like Brew & Bake. That\u2019s one of the reasons for starting here,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

\"Brew

Brew & Bake is a Japanese-Scandinavian microbakery with specialty coffee for breakfast and lunch.<\/p><\/div>\n

The caf\u00e9 style is Japanese-Scandinavian, or \u201cJapandish.\u201d How did that come about? Soekhoe laughs. \u201cI travel the world seeking new concepts and trends. In Scandinavia, I noticed beautifully robust artisanal bread that\u2019s rare in the Netherlands. In Japan, I was inspired by the minimalist, clean, precise style. You see all these elements in both the interior design and our viennoiserie.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Quality is everything for the entrepreneur. \u201cWe serve excellent coffee, matcha, and health drinks,\u201d he lists. \u201cBut also extremely tasty and healthy bread made from the finest ingredients, in collaboration with Brood van Bro. You do what you do best and arrange the rest properly.\u201d Viennoiserie, such as cinnamon or cardamom buns and croissants, almond-topped or not, is freshly made on site. \u201cTop quality applies to butter, flour, and staff alike. Our focus is on Gen Z and the upcoming Gen A students, who value quality and appreciate innovative concepts.\u201d<\/p>\n

360-degree experience<\/h2>\n

Unique in The Hague\u2019s hospitality scene is a counter that can be approached from all sides. \u201cAll walls remain clear, letting light flow through,\u201d Soekhoe explains. This allows the university to be \u201con display.\u201d \u201cImagine what we could do here,\u201d Muller muses. \u201cStudents might have fascinating things to share with the city. We\u2019ll explore that soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Muller and Soekhoe look to the future with confidence. \u201cIn 2026, for the first time in the university\u2019s 450-year history, the academic year will open here at the Spui, not in Leiden. A signal that our commitment to the city is long-term,\u201d Muller says. \u201cThat suits me fine,\u201d adds Soekhoe. \u201cI strongly believe in long partnerships, so I hope we\u2019re still here in twenty years\u2019 time.\u201d<\/p>\n

www.universiteitleiden.nl<\/a><\/p>\n

www.brewenbake.nl<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cGood to see you,\u201d says Vice-Chancellor Erwin Muller of Leiden University Campus The Hague to entrepreneur Anil Soekhoe. \u201cOur history goes way back.\u201d Soekhoe, known for the primal Hague chocolate heaven Hop & Stork in the Passage, clarifies, \u201cBoth of us have been members of The Hague Economic Board for years in which we have worked with the municipality...<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":35732,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[143,146],"tags":[3196,3079,2982],"opmaak":[2548],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUniversiteit Leiden en Brew & Bake openen in V&D-gebouw<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Universiteit Leiden opent in 2026 een nieuwe campus aan het Spui, met Brew & Bake als publieke plek voor studenten en stad.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/kingstreet-magazine.com\/en\/symbiosis-at-the-sluice\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Universiteit Leiden en Brew & Bake openen in voormalig V&D-gebouw\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Kingstreet is h\u00e9t high-end mediamerk van Den Haag. 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