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University of Copenhagen
Independent of management
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Student life
Dorms Disclosed — The Industrikollegiet in the Copenhagen district of Nørrebro is home to 95 students. They share kitchens and gardens, and have built their own chicken coop, which also functions as a bar.
The Industrikollegiet in the Nørrebro district is not very old, and this might be the reason it is somewhat unknown. Either that, or the place is just a well-kept secret. Maybe because it happens only rarely that someone moves out before they are forced to do so, according to the chairman of the residents’ council Christian Persson:
»People just don’t move from here.«
Industrikollegiet
Address: Rådmandsgade 61, 2200 Copenhagen.
ikol.dk
Rent: DKK 3,300
Average age: 24
Application process: Combined waiting list on s.dk and a motivated letter of application.
It is, according to Christian Persson, a unique community of 95 residents, partly as a result of the building itself. The residence hall consists of two glass towers where the different kitchens, by way of open staircases, are interconnected across the floors.
SEE THE FULL ‘DORMS DISCLOSED’ UNIVERSITY POST SERIES: Reviews by student residents of dorms and residence halls in Copenhagen
»Even though you don’t share a common kitchen, you end up sharing a kitchen,« Christian Persson’s residence hall-mate Emilie Zeuthen says. »You really get to know each other.«
The major focal point for both human and non-human residents is the garden. A brood of hens have just moved into a home-made coop (which also serves as a bar). This is an example of the volunteer spirit behind the self-governing residence hall.
»There have been lots of enthusiasts involved in this project,« says Emilie Zeuthen. »They have worked 24/7 throughout the spring of 2021. In the evening, they’ve been out there with flashlights laying on the roof.«
»Yes, and we are all full-time students, not professional carpenters,« adds Christian Persson, who helped with the hen coop himself.
»But it’s all about delegating the work and getting started!«
Dorms disclosed
There are loads of dormitories, kollegiums, and student residences in Copenhagen, yet most of the information available is in Danish.
Some are small, old houses with pretty gardens, others are giant concrete buildings with tiny windows.
This is a review by a student reporter. But in the Dorms Disclosed series, it is the residents themselves that review the dorms that they live in.
Here is an overview with links to all of the dormitory and student accommodation reviews we have published so far, written by the people who know them the best.
If you want to write an English-language review of your dorm write to uni-avis@adm.ku.dk with ‘Dorms Disclosed’ in the subject header.
The garden is also the venue for an annual celebration called ‘Festikol’ which, apart from music and beer has also been used for acro yoga and face painting. There are many parties at the Industrikollegiet, according to Emilie Zeuthen, but so much more also. There are flag committees, bike committees and, not least, a garden committee that maintains the herbs and strawberries.
There is a nomination committee that evaluates applications. You do not technically need to write an application to get in. But if you don’t, you risk spending a couple of years on the waiting list. So it’s better to chuck in a motivated application, where you make clear that you want to be a part of the community, according to Emilie Zeuthen:
»We just want to know that you want to contribute to making the Industrikollegiet an even cooler place to live.«
[This review has been written by a student reporter at the University Post. If you want to write an English-language review of your dorm write to uni-avis@adm.ku.dk and mark it ‘Dorms Disclosed’]
READ ABOUT OTHER RESIDENCE HALLS AND DORMS HERE: Student housing reviews: Dorms and residences in Copenhagen