A new building for the University of Chicago is currently under construction on Mount Davis in Hong Kong that will establish a hub for education, research, and collaboration once completed.
The new facility, named the Francis and Rose Yuen Center, will house a collection of programs of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, provide space and support for study abroad programs; facilitate academic exchanges with regional partner institutions; and act as an intellectual home for faculty and student research, collaboration, and engagement in Hong Kong, China, and Asia, the University of Chicago’s website reports.
The facility is being designed by Bing Thom Architects and will offer 52,000 sf of space. The build site holds the historic remains of a military detention center and features overgrown greenery and views of Hong Kong Harbor. Bing Thom Architects’ design respects the heritage buildings and the natural landscape by touching down only at the points of least intrusion and bridging across and connecting the scattered heritage blocks.
The building’s façade uses both glazing and sun screens, providing the overall design with the aesthetic of a high-tech treehouse. Existing hiking trails have been integrated into the new campus, again blending the new structure with its existing historic site.
Construction of the project was supported by a $30 million grant from the Hong Kong Jockey Club. The center is scheduled to open in 2018.
Rendering courtesy of Bing Thom Architects
Rendering courtesy of Bing Thom Architects
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