Aerial view of a large-scale research and education campus featuring a circular central building, surrounding water landscapes, landscaped outdoor areas and adjacent sports facilities.

XJTLU Taicang Campus

Exterior view of a modern campus building with a vertically structured façade, a green waterfront area and a connecting footbridge over a body of water.

Interior shot of a modern seminar room with ascending, curved seating arrangement, integrated LED lighting and bright learning environment.

New learning landscapes

The new campus of the Xi’an JiaotongLiverpool University in Taicang is organised in a circular layout. Traditional teaching formats are replaced through a radial arrangement that creates a spatial network of interaction, exchange, and openness. Learning here is not simply organised it is supported through informal and spatially embedded connections. This takes place around the clock, interdisciplinary, and in direct relation to the city.

At a Glance

850‑metre “Learning Mall” as the central backbone

7 U‑shaped institutes, arranged radially

24/7 multi‑network teaching instead of traditional frontal instruction

Rhizomatic learning models with open communication spaces

Multifunctional campus with dormitories, sports hall, fitness centre, restaurants and retail

Rhizome instead of grid

The central element is the 850‑metre “Learning Mall”. This circular architectural structure connects all institutes. Along the ring, a wide range of spaces for formal and informal communication are arranged: bookable classrooms, open learning zones, spontaneous meeting points. The architecture follows the principle of the rhizomatic learning model: no hierarchical organisation, but flexible, decentralised connections that support individual learning paths.

Learning as a collective process

Seven U‑shaped institute buildings connect to the central mall. They open both inwards and outwards, creating fluid transitions between teaching, research and informal exchange in day‑to‑day academic life. The spatial interplay between the ring and the institute buildings forms atria that act as activity zones and foster a holistic learning atmosphere.

Landscape as space for living and learning

A branching water landscape meanders through the campus. Green outdoor areas and public communication zones emerge. A peach garden forms the landscape centre a place of calm, encounter and informal interaction in the open space. In the northwest of the site, student housing, sports, leisure facilities, and gastronomy complete the campus, turning it into a vibrant urban microcosm.

Project Profile

Project: XJTLU Campus
Location: Taicang
Client: Taicang Culture and Education Investment Group Co., Ltd
GFA: 427.000 m²
Completion: 2022
Uses: University campus, dormitories, sports hall, fitness centre, restaurants, retail
Awards: 2021 WAN Future Education Projects Award
Certifications: LEED Gold

Exterior shot of a parking area near the campus with a curved footpath, dense greenery and a view of round teaching buildings along an artificial water feature.

Interior view of a library-like learning environment with tall windows, open shelves and flexible seating areas in a light-filled space.

Exterior shot of a modern educational campus with circular and linear buildings, illuminated façades and a central watercourse as a connecting landscape feature.