In a competition to design a "Learning Hub" for students at Nanyang University in Singapore, London-based firm Heatherwick Studio has won with a rounded, hive-like design. The £360 million project has won the BCA Green Mark Platinum Award for Sustainability from the government of Singapore.
The architects said that the design is meant to transcend the original purpose of a university building, redefining the spaces where students collaborate.
Rather than a building principally meant to house educational texts, they sought to design an appealing place for students to work and socialize, given the fact that the Internet makes it possible for educational information to be accessed outside of university buildings.
Fifty-six rooms will be condensed into a space with no conventional corridors, and will center around an area that can be entered from 360 degrees, Arch Daily reports. This central space will link all of the structure's separate towers, which contain classrooms stacked upon one another. Selected floors will also feature gardens.
"Another inspiration for the hub was a wish to break down the traditional, square, forward-facing classrooms with a clear front and hierarchy, and move to a cornerless space, where teachers and students mix on a more equal basis," Heatherwick Studio said in a statement.
"In this model, students work together around shared tables, with teacher as facilitator and partner in the voyage of learning, rather than ‘master’ executing a top-down model of pedagogy."
Heatherwick will work with local architects CPG Consultants to fully realize the Learning Hub. All renderings courtesy of Heatherwick Studio.
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 28, 2015
7 (more) steps toward a quieter hospital
Every hospital has its own “culture” of loudness and quiet. Jacobs’ Chris Kay offers steps to a therapeutic auditory environment.
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 28, 2015
Shhh!!! 6 ways to keep the noise down in new and existing hospitals
There’s a ‘decibel war’ going on in the nation’s hospitals. Progressive Building Teams are leading the charge to give patients quieter healing environments.
Architects | Aug 28, 2015
How to transition leadership within your architecture firm, Part 2
Close to retiring? Without a plan for leadership transition, you might not foster candidates who will be capable of taking over the reins, says Whitehorn Financial's Steve Whitehorn.
Retail Centers | Aug 27, 2015
Vallco Shopping Mall renovation plans include 'largest green roof in the world'
The new owners of the mall in Cupertino, Calif., intend to transform the outdated shopping mall into a multi-purpose complex, topped by a 30-acre park.
Libraries | Aug 27, 2015
Barack Obama Foundation begins search for presidential library architect
Both national and foreign firms will compete for chance to design the Chicago-based Presidential Center.
Architects | Aug 27, 2015
How to transition leadership within your architecture firm, Part 1
In order for your firm to thrive and preserve your legacy after retirement, it is essential that you create a strategic plan to not only transition ownership of your firm but its leadership as well.
Mixed-Use | Aug 26, 2015
Innovation districts + tech clusters: How the ‘open innovation’ era is revitalizing urban cores
In the race for highly coveted tech companies and startups, cities, institutions, and developers are teaming to form innovation hot pockets.
Office Buildings | Aug 19, 2015
Good design can combat open-office issues
Three tricks to maintain privacy and worker production in a cube-less world, according to GS&P's Jack E. Weber
Architects | Aug 19, 2015
Despite dip, architecture billings remain strong
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the July ABI score was 54.7, down a point from a mark of 55.7 in June.
Architects | Aug 17, 2015
Historic power plant converted to modern offices in Minnesota
A landmark power plant in Owatonna, Minn., damaged in a 2010 flood has new life as the headquarters of Owatonna Public Utilities following a renovation by architects Leo A. Daly.