Living in Lund: Kämnärsrätten studio apartment

N.B: This entry is a part of a series of student accommodation reviews directed at new students looking for apartments in Lund. Lund(on) Times is not affiliated with AF Bostäder, LU Accommodation or any other apartment rental service. More visual material may be added in the future. Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Pros	Cons
+ Close to northern campus, large supermarkets	- Far from town, nations
+ Good transportation connections	- Expensive (~4,000 SEK per month)
+ Quiet and peaceful	- Limited social interaction
+ Own kitchen, bathroom & shower	- Kitchen and bathroom are tiny

Click here for AFB's information on Kämnärsrätten (apartment exterior featured in 3rd pic on reel)

Among the notorious party corridors one might think there is little refuge from all the noise and commotion. The northern part of town is infamous mainly thanks to Delphi. Over 1000 student apartments just seem to attract that level of good times. However right next door in Kämnärsrätten, one of the studio and duplex apartment complexes, people live in relative peace and quiet. Meri certainly does. She was specifically looking for absolute silence to achieve a perfect study atmosphere.

Figure 40. The studio room has a bedroom/dining hall/living room space sectioned off from the kitchen

“This was my first choice [for an apartment], since I didn’t want to live in a corridor,” Meri recalls her selection process before arriving to Lund. “And this was excellent because I got to bring my own furniture. I didn’t want someone’s cast overs. Most of these flats are probably unfurnished, but it is really easy to get your stuff cheaply here with so many people coming and going.”

Having previously lived in London, Meri has reasons beyond studying to get away from the noise.

Figure 41. The space is surprisingly large compared to corridor rooms with larger bathrooms

“I like the fact that I have my own space and that there are no parties here. I’ve never had problems with noise, which is so nice after living in London. The only thing that is really tiny is the kitchen, but that is okay for just me. When there is a friend over however, it is not so good.”

Seclusion in Kämnärsrätten is at the very maximum. Interaction among people is minimal, and there is little going on with community activities in the area. This is the least of Meri's worries though.

Figure 42. The storage space is plentiful too

“I've said hello to some neighbors, but I do not know any of them," she describes her relationship with the people living in the same courtyard. "Most of my friends live just down the street anyway so it doesn’t matter. In the beginning it bothered me when people didn’t even say hello, but now it doesn’t anymore.”

The loneliness can be alleviated with having guests over too. With 21m² out of which very little is left for the kitchen and bathroom, there is some spare floor space to crash on. Not that the space is created for hosting anyone for extended periods, but apparently with a pullout couch that is achievable to some degree.

Figure 43. The front door is three steps from the bed.

“For a couple of days the space is good for guests. My sister was here for 11, and after that you couldn’t see the floor. The really annoying thing about that was not having a bike for her.”

Location wise, the northern part of the town is in terms of services and mass transportation probably the best part of town to live in. Being a biking town the place is accessible even on foot if one is determined.

“I have a bike, so its really quick to get to uni, and there is a bus too," Meri discusses her favorite mode of transportation. "Going out is a bit awkward because its so far uphill. But honestly nothing is far away in Lund.”

Figure 44. The bathroom  is so cramped it was impossible to get a good camera shot from in there.

Beyond this, the location is beautiful for outdoor activities too.

“There are a lot of nice places to go jogging here," Meri explains. "Lots of nice parks close by. The Delphi gym would be there too, but I do not go there. Probably in the summer the grill area could be nice, and I think people do use that. Its really nice and quiet in these courtyards too.”

Figure 45. The kitchen counter space is not a strong selling point either...

For the purposes of focusing on one's studies and taking it easy, Kämnärsrätten studio apartments have served their purpose above and beyond. If you are really looking for this level of silence, this place is made for you. All of these things considered, Meri struggled to name anything that was bad about her home.

“There is nothing that bad. The floor is ugly, but I can live with that. I guess that it’s a bit far away too, but that is relative.”