Ardian and Rockfield acquire student residence in Amsterdam

Global investor Ardian and living platform Rockfield have finalized a landmark deal to acquire the Minervahaven student residence in Amsterdam. 

Minhervahaven

This 596-bed property represents one of the Netherlands' largest single-asset student housing transactions. 
This purchase is the partnership's fourth student housing investment in Europe in just six months, totalling over €300 mln invested across Florence, Bologna, Barcelona, and now Amsterdam. 
CBRE IM has already secured €500 mln in equity for its student housing (PBSA) strategy through Indirect Strategies. They anticipate raising another €300 mln by the second quarter of 2025 and aim to reach a total of €1 bn in funding for this strategy by the end of 2025.
The Rinkelberg Capital family office sold Minervahaven to Student Experience, who developed and has managed the property since 2020 and will continue to do so.
The 26,060 m2 Minervahaven student residence is conveniently situated west of Amsterdam Central Station in the Houthavens district, near universities and the city center. The building also offers 300 m2 of office space and numerous amenities such as a gym, cinema, co-working areas, a rooftop terrace, and a courtyard garden.
The eco-friendly Minervahaven, lauded as "The Most Sustainable PBSA Asset in Europe," by student housing industry association The Class Foundation boasts a BREEAM "Excellent" rating and offers students numerous amenities. 
Bernd Haggenmüller, senior managing director Real Estate, Ardian, said: "This acquisition underlines our clear ambition to significantly expand Ardian’s presence in the PBSA sector across Northern Europe. With a particular focus on the Netherlands and the high-potential German market, we see a tremendous opportunity to grow our portfolio with sustainable, high-quality assets that meet the evolving needs of students and cities alike. Leveraging our long-term capital and operational expertise as well as a significant project pipeline, we are committed to becoming a key player in shaping the future of student living in the dynamic European market.” 
Wouter Van Den Eijnden, CEO, Rockfield, added: "Minervahaven is the ‘jewel in the crown’ of our strategy. The property’s strong sustainability credentials and the high quality of the living space exemplify the type of asset we are looking for to make this evergreen platform the leading one across Europe, as well as being a testament to the development and asset management skills of Student Experience.” 
Savills (commercial), MC2 (technical), Van Doorne and Linklaters (legal), and PwC (tax) advised Rockfield and Ardian. Van Lanschot Kempen (financial) and Loyens & Loeff (legal) advised Rinkelberg Capital and Student Experience.