SUTD Housing and Sports / LOOK Architects + Surbana International Consultants

Curated by ArchDaily

Text description provided by the architects. Designed by LOOK Architects in collaboration with Surbana International Consultants, campus housing (3 hostel blocks and 2 staff apartment blocks) and sports facilities for SUTD (Singapore University of Technology and Design) have been brought to fruition, realizing the university’s vision for a walkable, 24/7 campus that has academic, housing and recreational facilities within close proximity of one another. Capturing in built form SUTD’s educational pedagogy of collaborative learning, the residential-recreational precinct is liberally interspersed with pockets of interaction spaces, setting up the platform for an open, creative environment.

Exhibiting an innovative housing morphology, the modularity of undergraduate, graduate and faculty units enables various room permutations to be accommodated within hostel blocks, introducing flexibility and scalability to the spatial framework. Iterations of housing units are stringed together to form elongated linear blocks linked up by the winding ‘peek-a-boo trail’.

SUTD Housing and Sports / LOOK Architects + Surbana International Consultants - Windows, Stairs, Facade — Courtesy of LOOK Architects

A living-learning spine linking the academic, housing and sports components of the campus is effective in maintaining a low carbon footprint, by enabling seamless connectivity on foot without the need for shuttle buses plying the campus road network. Open spaces between buildings – across which the living-learning spine spans – are lushly landscaped, a welcome respite for faculty members and students.

An expansive biological pond serves as a basin collecting rainwater and surface water run-off for landscape irrigation. Centuries-old traditional Chinese building structures originating from Anhui province have been incorporated into the residential precinct after undergoing extensive restoration and alteration, reincarnated as a cosy congregation corner hovering atop the landscaped eco-pond.

The sports complex cuts a striking presence with the dramatic geometry of its expanded mesh cladding, drawing gazes of intrigue and defining a memorable landmark within the campus. Behind the iconic form of the sports complex lies careful consideration for environmental sustainability, as demonstrated by use of a double facade – the external faceted expanded mesh panels diffuse daylight passing through the glazed facade, enabling a high degree of visual porosity without the glare. Bright, evenly illuminated interiors of the sports complex offer an inviting environment for enjoyment of recreational activities, while the visibility of this activity from the building exterior creates a unique character for the campus. As a ‘microcosm’ of living-learning, SUTD heralds a new age of tertiary education in Singapore.