At the beginning of the 1990s, there was a great housing shortage among students in Innsbruck and it was difficult to find affordable housing in the city.
1994 to 1998: The planning phase and construction
The staff parking lot at the Technical Faculty of the Leopold Franzens University was soon found as a potential building site for a student residence and the Republic of Austria signaled that it would give the green light for construction. In order to realize the project, the "Innsbrucker Studentenhaus GmbH" was founded in 1994 with the following shareholders
- Verein „Katholisches Studentenwerk Eduard Wallnöfer”
- Verein “Innsbrucker Studentenheim”
- Condominium - Tiroler gemeinnützige Wohnbaugesellschaft m.b.H.
Also in the same year, a building rights contract was concluded between the Republic of Austria and Innsbrucker Studentenhaus GmbH with a term of 90 years. A public architectural competition was held on the basis of this contract.
A high-caliber, international jury selected the proposal by DIN4A (under the direction of architects Huber and Prachensky) as the winner from the 38 submissions. The results of the competition were publicly exhibited at the Architekturforum Tirol in November 1994.
But there was another hurdle before construction could begin: The "Citizens' Committee for Hötting - West", led by Richard Beer, lodged an objection. In numerous information and discussion events, initiated by Department III, Planning and Building Law, of Innsbruck City Council, the objections raised were dispelled and a consensus reached by presenting a sunlight study.
On October 9, 1995, the building permit was issued by the Innsbruck City Council and construction could begin. The construction phase itself was characterized by numerous redesigns, such as the braces or the roof. Nevertheless, the building was completed on time on October 1, 1998.
A whopping 269 students moved into the building when it opened.
The development of the Europaheim from the turn of the millennium to the present day
In 1999, Wohnungseigentum GmbH withdrew as a shareholder and half of its capital contribution was taken over by the remaining shareholders. In 2010, the "Europaheim Privatstiftung" took the place of the shareholder "Verein Innsbrucker Studentenheim".
By selling referral rights to Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Upper Austria and Liechtenstein, it was possible from the outset to ensure a cost-effective structure for the user fee and the Europaheim has since been in the mid-range of Innsbruck providers in terms of price.
However, the demands on the student residence soon changed: the two large IT rooms were not used as more and more students had their own laptops. The same applied to the seminar rooms on the first floor. However, as the need for a fitness room became apparent, this was set up, as was a party room in the basement. Over time, a music room and various leisure activities were added.
A facility run by Lebenshilfe Tirol, Alpine Quantum Technologie GmbH and the AR:CK architecture firm also moved into the building.
The Europaheim currently receives between 100 and 180 new applications every year and has always been at full capacity.
Social responsibility at Europaheim Innsbruck
Since the Europaheim was established, only mandatory expenses and the necessary maintenance and replacement measures have been taken into account when calculating the user fee. It is not intended to generate profits.
The energy crisis and the associated price increases would have resulted in a fee of over EUR 715 for a single apartment for the 2024/25 academic year. By negotiating with various service providers and reducing reserves, it was possible to set the usage fee for a single apartment including all operating costs at EUR 566.
Excerpt from the speech of the Managing Director RR Dipl. KH. BW. Jürgen Knapp on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Europaheim.
