Bridging Disciplines within a Luminous Academic Center
University of Reading
Malaysia
CLIENT
Iskandar Investment Bhd
REGION
Iskandar Puteri, Johor
YEAR
Completed in 2015
GFA
27,000 m²
DISCIPLINES
The University of Reading Malaysia campus is a contemporary, student-centered academic environment that supports approximately 2,000 students and 400 staff. Designed in collaboration with Scott Brownrigg Architects (UK), the campus brings together programmes in Law, Business, Built Environment, Chemistry, and Pharmacy within a compact and transparent setting.
ARCHITECTURE
The campus is structured around two parallel academic blocks that define and embrace a central courtyard. This landscaped void operates as the social and spatial heart of the development, creating a porous environment where formal teaching spaces intersect with areas for informal learning, collaboration, and movement. The courtyard’s openness ensures clear visual connectivity across multiple levels, reinforcing a sense of shared academic life.
Classrooms and laboratories in the two blocks are connected by a network of pedestrian bridges that thread through the courtyard. These elevated links act as stitching elements, unifying the parallel buildings into a cohesive academic spine while promoting fluid circulation and cross-disciplinary interaction.
An innovative ETFE roof structure spans the four-storey courtyard, diffusing daylight evenly throughout the interior. This lightweight canopy provides weather protection and assists in thermal moderation, enabling the courtyard to function as an all-weather communal space. By filtering natural light and enhancing environmental comfort, the ETFE system becomes a defining architectural feature that supports the campus’s openness and energy-efficient intent.





















