As part of Duke University’s 200-acre global campus in Kunshan, China, the 30-acre first phase of Duke Kunshan University Campus includes five buildings that sit atop a manmade lake and are interconnected by low bridges and seasonal plazas.
The plazas are submerged underneath the water and are only revealed and usable during periods of low rainfall, which coincides with peak student attendance. A four-acre water ecosystem is the central landscape element of the new campus and includes a stormwater management system with point-source water filtration, roof gardens, rain gardens, living water gardens, greywater capture, and aquatic habitat creation.
"The entire water filtration system serves as an ecological education lab with a flowing water garden located at the end,” said Kevin Vogel, PE, Partner and Civil Engineer with LandDesign, in a release. "The design also addresses scalable energy alternatives to correspond with the American College & University President’s Climate Commitment for carbon neutrality.”
Primary gathering spaces feature movable benches, planters, and sculptures in order to accommodate large events, art installations, and social/learning space. Gensler is the project’s architect while LandDesign is handling landscape architecture and civil engineering duties.
Related Stories
University Buildings | Aug 16, 2016
New images of Rice University’s Moody Center for the Arts revealed by Michael Maltzan Architecture
The arts center will foster creativity for making and presenting works across all disciplines
| Aug 10, 2016
UNIVERSITY GIANTS: Facing money woes, the nation's colleges double down on innovative ideas
Budget constraints are compelling some public institutions to pursue alternative methods of financing their major building projects.
| Aug 9, 2016
Top 70 University Engineering Firms
AECOM, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, and Jacobs top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest university sector engineering and E/A firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 9, 2016
Top 100 University Construction Firms
Turner Construction Co., The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co, and Skanska USA top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest university sector construction and construction management firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 9, 2016
Top 100 University Architecture Firms
Gensler, Perkins+Will, and CannonDesign top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest university sector architecture and A/E firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
University Buildings | Aug 5, 2016
How to design the best dining facilities for Millennial students
Location, visibility, and adaptability are three important ideas to keep in mind when designing campus dining spaces, writes Gresham Smith and Partners’ Patrick Gilbert.
University Buildings | Jul 22, 2016
Fast-growing UC Merced will double in size by 2020
The state’s Board of Regents has approved a $1.34 billion plan that would add nearly 1.2 million sf of new space.
University Buildings | Jul 6, 2016
University housing of the future will blend life and study
Universities across the country are striving to meet the demand of on-campus housing. VOA's Steve Siegle examines what students and universities desire in campus living, and how designers can respond.
University Buildings | Jun 13, 2016
Renovated Drexel University academic building will welcome students with front porch
A large screen sets a living room vibe for the Philadelphia academic building. Plans call for 9,000 sf of common space on the inside and a new quad on the outside.
University Buildings | Jun 13, 2016
Universities infuse tech features into learning, living, and shopping spaces
Virtual learning rooms, gaming stations, and self-check-out kiosks are among the perks—and necessities—that have all become commonplace in college campus design.
