Starting today, the students of Den Hulster College in Venlo will be taking physical education in a temporary sports hall. The building was designed and built by Kessel-based Neptunus, a specialist in temporary accommodation. An increase in the number of students has led to a shortfall in sports facilities at the school. The use of the temporary gymnasium is Den Hulster College’s response. The semi-permanent building, which is the most advanced of its kind, is scheduled to be in service for at least five years.

A substantial increase in the number of students at Den Hulster College left the school with insufficient sports facilities. The construction of a new gymnasium would be very expensive and take a lot of time, so the school decided to have a Neptunus temporary sports hall put up. The so-called semi-permanent accommodation has the advantage of being extremely flexible; it can be built quickly and can be taken down completely. The temporary gymnasium is approximately 400 m2 and is indistinguishable from a permanent building in appearance and technical characteristics. It has a sports floor, changing rooms and climate control. Teachers and students cannot tell that they are using a temporary solution. The sports hall will remain in place for at least five years, after which a review will be held to determine whether the extra capacity is still required.

“Good sports facilities are important for schools,” says Dorrie Eilers, Director of Neptunus. “But the number of students enrolled can sometimes fluctuate, leaving the gymnasium capacity below requirements. In order to respond flexibly, it is sensible to use high-quality temporary accommodations rather than investing in a new gymnasium. If the number of students declines again after a couple of years, the temporary sports hall can be taken down again.”

Neptunus has been increasing its market share in the temporary, semi-permanent accommodations sector and has placed a large number of temporary sports halls in the Netherlands and in the rest of Europe. The company has also entered into an intensive cooperation with the national sports organisations NOC*NSF. Three sports halls from the Limburg-based accommodation specialist have been put up at the national sports centre Papendal and preparations are underway for two more.