The fourth state university in Singapore, SUTD is located in an actively developing part of the island, next to the airport and Changi Business Park. They train specialists in relevant areas - architecture and "sustainable" design, engineering networks, information technology, etc., so the university plays the role of both a catalyst and a conductor of progress, which should be reflected in the structure of its campus, the architects say.
SUTD is designed in line with UNStuido's “New Campus” concept. According to Ben van Berkel and his colleagues, in modern university campuses, the division into zones and "clusters" is replaced by an interdisciplinary, flexible organization of space, when all buildings are connected to each other both physically and visually, which contributes to "connectivity, cooperation, joint creativity, innovation and sociality”.
Therefore, the campus of the University of Singapore, although it seems at first glance to consist of tightly packed, but independent buildings, in fact is a single space, organized along two axes intersecting in the center of the complex - academic and residential. There is a space for exhibitions and other events, communication and meetings - the Campus Center itself with the main auditorium, the International Design Center and the university library.
Spaces flow into each other: the boundaries between rooms and corridors are blurred, numerous vertical and horizontal connections are arranged between parts of the campus, emphasized by perspective views; The openness is also facilitated by the sloping downward volume of the buildings, freeing up more space on the ground for students and teachers.
Ben van Berkel stresses that he never wanted to force campus residents into a well-thought-out “single vision”. His project is an infrastructure for communication and interaction, and everyone can find their own method to use it.
The campus uses, for the most part, passive "green" technologies: in a tropical, almost equatorial climate, the facades are shaded, but enough sunlight gets inside, natural ventilation is used. The lush nature of Singapore is reflected in the project in the form of vertical landscaping, green roof terraces, numerous "islet" gardens.
