Varaždin, a city that can boast of live theatre and concert life, hosts one of the most important European baroque music festivals, but also attracts attention as a university centre. In order to improve the standard of living for an increasing number of students, the Student Centre Varaždin decided to build a new dormitory with a capacity of 600 beds, as well as a restaurant. In 2012, a public competition was launched. As the competition winners, architect Vedran Pedišić and his office, Sangrad, first designed a restaurant and then a dormitory financed through EU funds. The goal of both stages of the project was to create good conditions for studying, by optimizing opportunities for a pleasant everyday life, as well as meaningful leisure time. But in the overall approach to the design brief, the awareness of both the architects and the investors of the need for environmental protection and energy saving also became prominent. Therefore, the second key determinant of the project was the energy efficiency and sustainability of both facilities, which was achieved through the use of renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic power stations on the roofs of the restaurant and the dorm, heat pumps used for heating and cooling water, and the use of rainwater for sanitary water. All these measures allow the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere to be reduced to zero.