The University of Chicago Opens Hong Kong Campus

Arup provided multidisciplinary engineering services including civil, geotechnical, structural, acoustic, audio-visual, fire life safety code, building services and sustainability, with collaboration between our Seattle and Hong Kong offices. Seamless transition of work was ensured from schematic design stage to detailed design stage, to truly realise the integrated design.

Despite its natural beauty the site possesses complexities and challenges. The new building, a composite construction using reinforced concrete and structural steel, was built over a steep slope, hovering right above some of the existing Grade 3 historic buildings. To minimise intrusion, non-percussive mini-piles were used for the foundation.  

To create a sustainable environment for learning, we proposed features such as a high-performance façade, a higher efficiency air conditioning system with heat recovery, reduced lighting power density, daylight responsive controls, increased fresh air flow rate and a demand-driven fresh air supply system. This will not only enhance the indoor environment quality but will also make the building greener and more efficient, helping cut energy consumption and CO₂ emissions by approximately 10%. Water saving fixtures have also been adopted.