Westlake University Yungu Campus by HENN

Established in 2018, Westlake University represents a new model for research-focused higher education in China—one centered on fundamental science, interdisciplinary collaboration, and global academic exchange. Located on the western edge of Hangzhou, the Yungu Campus, designed by HENN, translates this mission into a sophisticated spatial system. The master plan integrates laboratories, academic buildings, sports facilities, dining, and residential life for an international community of students and scholars. Its most defining gesture is the use of three concentric organizational rings—the Academic Core, the Water Loop, and the Living Loop—creating a campus shaped simultaneously by logic, landscape, and social ambition.

Each ring serves a clear spatial and conceptual purpose. At the center lies the Academic Core, a dense circular structure that houses shared research and learning spaces. Beyond it, a tranquil waterway forms the second ring, acting as a natural buffer and reflective landscape element. Encircling the water, the Living Loop contains the residential districts where daily life unfolds. This campus-wide gradient—from focused research at the center to community life at the outskirts—infuses Westlake University with a clear hierarchy and a purposeful rhythm of movement.

Modular Institutes Connected Through the Academic Loop

Westlake University comprises four separate schools—Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, and Medicine—each housed in distinct modular, bar-shaped buildings. While the buildings share a strong visual identity through their precast concrete structural frames, each façade incorporates unique patterns and color accents to reinforce school identity. Connecting bridges create a series of courtyards and shaded exterior pockets, offering relief from the density and enhancing campus permeability.

These academic bars are interlocked with the circular Academic Loop, an elevated ring that acts as both circulation infrastructure and social spine. At the points where the loop intersects with the academic buildings, shared spaces appear: open laboratories, seminar rooms, meeting rooms, and flexible study lounges. These junctions serve as interdisciplinary collision points, fostering casual encounters and intellectual exchange—an architectural reflection of Westlake’s research culture.

The Academic Ring: A Continuous Forum for Knowledge

The Academic Ring is the heart of campus life. Triple-height spaces and long interior vistas connect different wings of the university while maintaining visual clarity and openness. This circular band accommodates communal areas, informal gathering zones, cafés, exhibition spaces, auditoriums, and research labs. Its design deliberately avoids completing the full circle, leaving an open arc that symbolizes a future of expansion and possibility.

At the very center lies a lush central park, conceived as a contemplative garden for rest, study, and quiet interaction. Immersed in the greenery is the university’s Auditorium, a multi-functional venue for ceremonies, lectures, concerts, and cultural events. Positioned like a cultural jewel within the campus landscape, it reinforces the idea that academic life and artistic expression are mutually enriching.

The Water Loop and Living Loop: A Gradual Transition to Daily Life

Surrounding the Academic Core is the Water Loop, a circular waterway that both reflects the architecture and separates academic space from residential life. Twelve bridges extend outward from the center like spokes, allowing students and faculty to cross into the Living Loop. The bridges create a powerful radial geometry that guides movement while providing scenic views of the water and gardens.

The outermost ring, the Living Loop, hosts freestanding residential buildings immersed in greenery. Shops, cafés, canteens, sports facilities, and recreational amenities animate this ring, creating an environment where academic intensity gives way to relaxation and social connection. The design prioritizes movement through the rings rather than direct shortcuts—an intentional decision to encourage walking, chance interactions, and an ongoing sense of discovery.

A Campus Inspired by Nature and Cultural Exchange

The architectural language of the campus draws on the natural landscapes of Hangzhou, known for its misty hills and poetic water systems. The buildings are placed in ways that respond to light, topography, and prevailing wind conditions, ensuring comfortable and efficient microclimates throughout the year. The central garden, the water loop, and the open courtyards evoke traditional Chinese landscape principles while maintaining a crisp, contemporary aesthetic.

Culturally, the Yungu Campus is envisioned as a regional hub for science and the arts. The Auditorium serves not only the university community but also the public, hosting concerts, festivals, and academic conferences. This integration of academic and civic function reflects Westlake’s goal of becoming a global institution with local cultural resonance.

A Future-Oriented Model for Research Campuses

More than a master plan, the Westlake University Yungu Campus is a living framework, inviting academic collaboration, cultural participation, and environmental harmony. Its concentric layout naturally organizes the university’s research-driven identity, while its connective bridges and open-loop system encourage curiosity and interdisciplinary thinking. Through spatial clarity, landscape integration, and a strong social vision, HENN’s design establishes Westlake University as a compelling model for 21st-century scientific campuses, where innovation emerges from community and architecture supports the full spectrum of intellectual and human experience.

Photography: Fangfang Tian