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Major maintenance work at REC J/K

REC J/K, the characteristic building with the brick chimney, is currently undergoing major maintenance work. This overhaul and the simultaneous quality improvement effort will ensure that the building remains optimally functional over the coming fifteen years. The work will be carried out over the course of a two-year period, during which the building will remain in use.


REC J/K, the former physics building and laboratory complex, currently accommodates several University of Amsterdam activities. With its characteristic brick chimney, the building is a landmark feature on the Roeterseiland campus.

Major maintenance work will be needed if we aim to keep using the building safely in accordance with current regulations. This overhaul and the simultaneous quality improvement effort will ensure that the building functions optimally over the coming ten to fifteen years. As part of the quality improvement effort, the new lecture rooms in the basement have been illuminated by natural light while the entrance was relocated to Nieuwe Achtergracht.
The entire project will be carried out in phases over a two-year period, during which the building will remain in use as much as possible. Most of the work in 2022 will focus on the low-rise buildings, with the high-rise buildings set to follow in 2023.

The overhaul will ensure that the distinctive REC J/K building meets current requirements again by 2024 while creating more space for academic education and collaborative partners and achieving a better balance between the campus and its surrounding residential area.

The location of the new main entrance of REC JK.
The location of the new main entrance of REC JK.

Work on and use of REC J/K

In the first phase of the project (scheduled to run until the summer of 2023), the approach to the building's low-rise section is on the programme. In consultation with the contractor, it has been decided to postpone the sawing of cut-outs for daylight access in the basement (phase 2) until a later date, without running over the total project lead time.

As soon as the contractor starts the troublesome sawing activities, REC J/K may be temporarily out of use (with the exception of storage and certain ICT activities). In this case, in consultation with the users, a temporary, replacement flex space will be set up during this period.

In the meantime, after some internal moves, the building is in full use. Check the floor plans for an up-to-date overview of the user areas.

Download our updates:

- Download the phasing and planning schedule here
- Download here the current floor plan of REC J/K as of September 2022 (phase 1)
- Download the layout of the building site around REC J/K as of mid-October 2022 (Dutch)