Raffles University

Iskander, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

This is a flagship project for Raffles Education for a new university located within the educational precinct of the new city of Iskandar in Malaysia and covers an area of 26 hectares. The predominantly sloping slope demanded a bold response to integrate the universities facilities. The urban design is composed of three formal terraces. The upper terrace accommodates the faculty precinct, the middle terrace creates the university centre for administration, student facilities and accommodation and the lower terrace provides an athletic and sports precinct.

Key features of the university design are the opposing pedestrian axes enhanced by a 15,000 m2 ornamental pool located on the middle terrace with a central island symbolic of the traditional university quadrangle. This is the major focus of the University campus and it establishes a strong architectural design aesthetic that is complimented and reflected in strong accent plantings of indigenous shade trees and palms with a shrub and groundcover understory that provides colour, scent and botanical interest.

Architects: DWP Australia