The entrance to HKUST(GZ), marked by the firebird sculpture. Credit: TAL.
On September 23rd, the KPF Director led a tour of the research campus as part of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Design for Future Conference on Education.
During the tour of the 267-acre university in Guangzhou, Florence focused on campus resilience features. In addition to being a fossil fuel-free district that is designed to be carbon neutral-ready, the campus embraces the climate and wetland ecosystem of Nansha. Beyond architectural inspiration, the incorporation of three canals creates built-in insurance for flooding, as the landscaping allows the canals to overflow while the set-back building placement prevents water damage. The main outdoor collaboration areas feature dense canopy coverage, and the buildings incorporate a combination of active and passive thermal comfort strategies to guarantee the well-being and enjoyment of occupants.
The tour took place on September 23rd, beginning with an officiating ceremony with welcome speeches at 10am. Learn more here.