University of Reading
Malaysia

Bridging Disciplines within a Luminous Academic Center

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.

Awards

2013
World Architecture Festival Award
Shortlisted - Future Projects Education
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