Kingston University complex wins prestigious architecture award: 9 more buildings around the world we’d love to learn in

The Riba Sterling Prize has gone to the impressive university building, but it’s not the only educational building that’s inspirational.

Ella Walker
Friday 15 October 2021 10:24 BST
Kingston University Town House (Riba/PA)
Kingston University Town House (Riba/PA) (PA Media)

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If you studied in a concrete 1960s comprehensive block, you’ll definitely get pangs of jealousy at the sight of Kingston University London – Town House.

The building, described as a “progressive new model for higher education”, has won the prestigious architecture award, the Riba Stirling Prize granted by the Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba).

The Town House, designed by Grafton Architects, has been named Britain’s best new building and features a library, archive, dance studio and theatre.

It’s certainly stunning, but it is far from the only inspirational educational building to be found around the world.

We’d be quite tempted to study at these architecturally ambitious educational buildings too, given the chance…

How brilliantly retro and detailed is the National Autonomous University of Mexico? It is understandably a destination for those wanting to study architecture, landscape architecture, urbanism and industrial design.

The University of Bologna not only has beautiful buildings, its main address is on the most incredible street, Via Zamboni. Think soft yellow walls, archways and brown shutters. You just need a Negroni to complete the scene.

Architect Frank Gehry created the University of Minnesota’s art museum, which has a centre for education beneath its shiny, space-age exterior.

Furman University in South Carolina is famed for its University Clock Tower, and you can see why…

For location and setting, the University of Cape Town might just win hands down.

Oxford University (and it’s many turreted buildings) is the physical embodiment of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series. How can one town contain so much history and majesty?

We’re not entirely sure how anyone gets any work done at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology when this is their view of Clearwater Bay.

The University of Hawaii’s Kamakakuokalani building is almost otherworldly, and the gardens so soothing.

Yale University makes us think of American Christmas films from the Nineties. It must the be something to do with all that red brick.

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