The ‘University Forum’ project, or ‘UFO’ for short, is the new face of Ghent University. It contains several student-oriented functions and all the administrative departments. The building consists of offices and workrooms for the Faculty of Literature and Philosophy, offices and meeting rooms for the Educational Affairs Directorate, a lecture theatre with 1,000 seats that can be divided in two (600/400), a spacious foyer with information and reception desks, a tele-centre, a porter’s lodge, a mail room, storerooms and parking for 110 cars.

The long side of the building lies along Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat. One end faces the forecourt of the vice-chancellery, while the other (one level higher) opens onto a square for students. In addition to their function as intersections, these two squares adjoining the UFO form a sort of urban decompression chamber for the closed-in Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat.

The fairly static composition of the façade is broken by a 70m media panel at street level and by the wall that divides the lecture theatre in two, which moves up vertically and appears above the building.

In addition to the use of sustainable materials and a plan that allows for maximum flexibility, the building is also equipped with a natural cooling system using night-time purge ventilation. Only the lecture theatre is cooled mechanically.