2018 – Confucius Institute, University College Dublin, Ireland

The UCD Confucius Institute is a joint venture between the Dublin university and Renmin University of China and is designed to “develop strong educational, cultural and commercial links between Ireland and China”. Some academics at UCD have criticised the institute because of its links with the regime in Beijing. The building provides accommodation for a range of teaching, learning, research, training activities and administration. Publicly accessible facilities include a library, auditorium, restaurant and display galleries. Selected after an architectural competition organised by the RIAI. The design is inspired by Chinese courtyard buildings as well as cloisters found in western architecture, where learning and contemplation are linked with the ritual of walking, and student wellbeing is enhanced by proximity to nature. The external form consists of a series of square floor-plates stacked vertically, each one progressively smaller than the one below, creating a ziggurat form analogous to traditional Chinese building forms.

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