Westlake University Yungu Campus
WESTLAKE UNIVERSITY YUNGU CAMPUS
Henn
ARCHITECTS
Henn
LEAD ARCHITECT
Martin Henn
LANDSCAPE CONSULTANTS
Wes Landschaftsarchitektur
CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
Shanghai Construction Group
LOCAL DESIGN INSTITUTE
Uad – The Architectural Design & Research Institute Of Zhejiang University Co. Ltd.
CLIENTS
Hangzhou Municipal Command Center For The Promotion Of West Lake University Project Construction, Westlake University
LIGHTING CONSULTANT
Rdesign International
PHOTOGRAPHS
Fangfang Tian
AREA
910000 m²
YEAR
2025
LOCATION
Hangzhou, China
CATEGORY
University
English description provided by the architects.
Established in 2018, the Westlake University is a research university dedicated to fundamental scientific research and cutting-edge technological innovation in China.
Located in the west of Hangzhou, the campus houses state of the art academic facilities, laboratories, offices, sports facilities, canteens, and housing for an international body of students and faculty.
The design for the Westlake campus addresses a range of scales and needs, from its urban- scale master plan to individual buildings.
The site is defined as a series of concentric rings that organize the campus both physically and conceptually: the Academic Core, the Water Loop, and the Living Loop.
The School of Science, the School of Engineering, the School of Life Sciences, and the School of Medicine are each housed in separate buildings.
All of these buildings feature a modular, bar-shaped design and share the same distinctive precast concrete frame, while each façade is uniquely detailed with colorful accents and custom patterns. Bridges connecting the bars create a series of courtyards.
The buildings are interlocked with the circular Academic Loop to promote connection and interdisciplinary exchange.
The intersections of the Loop and the institute buildings are where the shared spaces are located: on the ground floor, laboratories are available to students and researchers from various disciplines, while the upper floors contain auditoriums, seminar and meeting rooms as well as more informal areas such as cafés and exhibition spaces.
The Academic Ring is the dense intellectual and social core of the university. The dynamic, triple- height space offers panoramic vistas through and into the buildings it connects.
Its circular form contains communal spaces, meeting spaces, seminar rooms, and laboratories. The design deliberately leaves the circular arc incomplete – evoking a sense of openness and possibility for future development.
At the center of the ring is the University's central park—a beautiful garden for retreat, contemplation and socialization.
Set amidst the garden is the Auditorium that serves as the formal venue for graduations and academic ceremonies, and regularly transforms into a lively space for concerts and cultural occasions.
The campus is encircled by a tranquil waterway. Twelve bridges, like spokes on a wheel, connect the campus to the verdant Living Loop where freestanding residential buildings for students and faculty are located.
Surrounded by shops, canteens, and sports facilities, the outer ring is a vibrant hub of private and social life. The design of the campus is conceived from the center as a gravitational core.
Rather than prioritizing short routes, it encourages and guides movement through the rings – each with its own character – offering diverse experiences, opportunities for inspiration, and vibrant exchange. Serendipitous encounters spark new ideas and ways of thinking.
The campus combines inspiration from nature as well as culture: The Auditorium hosts lectures as well as concerts, making it a leading cultural venue in the region and inviting life from outside into the center of Westlake University, blurring the boundaries between academic and social life.
