Vortex: “A really friendly atmosphere”
Alain Herzog © 2021 EPFL
The Vortex student housing complex officially opened last fall. With a capacity of over 1,200 students, Vortex provides a warm, welcoming environment where residents can interact. We decided to go see for ourselves
On a gray, overcast Monday morning in April – with the temperature hovering around 4°C and a winter coat still very much in order – all is quite inside Vortex. The building's impressive design is reminiscent of the Roman Colosseum, minus the spectators and gladiators. Luckily, we’ve arranged to meet Riccardo, a first-year bioengineering student at EPFL. He’s one of the 1,200 residents who settled into the studios and dorm apartments last fall. Vortex – a spiraling, eight-story complex – was designed as a communal space, a welcoming environment for meeting and making friends. Have the successive waves of the pandemic dampened people's enthusiasm?
Along the building’s spiral walkway, there’s not a soul in sight. The apartments are all furnished but there’s no sign of students; they've all jumped ship. According to Riccardo, as soon as in-person classes were cancelled, any student who was able to return home did so – hence the many empty rooms.
“When classes went online, it was hard to meet up with students in my section, particularly since there were no social gatherings or cocktail events on campus. And things didn't get better in the second semester because now all courses are pre-recorded,” he says. The residents had to find new ways to break the ice. Riccardo has made friends with his neighbors, with whom he plays sports and hangs out, and takes part in a balcony Zumba class every Wednesday night. “The instructor stands in the middle of the courtyard and everyone joins in from their balconies. It’s great – you just have to step outside your flat. The atmosphere is really friendly,” he says.
“Everyone’s welcome”
Weekends are when the student complex really comes to life. Drinks and meals together, among other activities, get the ball rolling. Sometimes some residents even complain about the noise. “The party often starts on Thursday in the communal kitchens,” Riccardo explains. “Basically, if you see the light on, you walk on in. Everyone’s welcome.”
We decided to join in on the fun, and headed back to the Vortex one Friday night at happy hour. It’s nice weather to be outside despite a light breeze. At the center of the complex, three students and their dog are sprawled on a plastic bench listening to rap music. Up on the second floor, two English speakers chat while catching the last rays of the sun. That’s about it.
A thousand chocolate bunnies
Suddenly, on the ground floor, a light goes on behind windows covered in brown paper decorated with smiling pieces of toast. It’s the site of Tonton Grain, a new bakery run by three brothers that will open in early May. Alexander, the oldest, tells us about the store's concept – it will serve sandwiches, coffee and fresh seasonal juices. As for the atmosphere in the complex, he agrees that there aren’t many people around. "Those who could go home did, but as soon as the weather becomes nice again, the place will be hopping."
Over the Easter holiday, in an effort to lift the spirits of those students who stayed at Vortex, Tonton Grain teamed up with Fondation Maisons pour Étudiants de Lausanne (FMEL) and Vortex Ambassadors to hand out a thousand chocolate bunnies. The aim was to give the students a boost, some of whom were struggling to cope with the partial lockdown.
A Koh-Lanta theme party
On the fourth floor, Yohan enjoys a beer in front of his flat. Gaspard, his roommate, stops by. Yohan, 23 years old, is completing a Master's degree in energy science, and Gaspar is studying biology. Both are from France and neither was able to return home. “Even if I’d wanted to I couldn't because of the quarantine measures and travel ban in France,” says Yohan. “I miss my family,” Gaspard adds.
And what do they think about the Vortex? “It's a terrific place for students.” If nothing else, having a roommate has kept them from feeling too lonely. And the wild parties? Both of them admit that for now it's pretty quiet in the complex. Yohan is planning an evening with a Koh Lanta theme (a French “Survivor”-style game show) and Gaspard is preparing for a romantic dinner. But the promise of the Vortex still beckons, with the upcoming arrival of warmer weather and a rooftop bar that will soon open on the 8th floor.
7:30 pm. It’s sundown, and the Vortex’s facade slips into shadow. The communal kitchens are empty. On some Friday nights, Vortex turns into a large nightclub – but not this one.