“Imagination Campus” by Xinyue Hong

We are living in a transitional generation, and changes happen every day. In this case, the purpose of a university should adapt to the changing world and help students to be more creative and think with imagination.

• Trying to make the learning environment of Cardiff University more imaginative and encourage students to think outside of the box.
• Activating the learning environment on the campus of Cardiff University while breaking up the enclosure and one-way learning style.
• Emphasizing the importance of an open, transparent, and interactive campus.

An observational analysis of the existing campus environment to identify the reasons why the learning spaces are not being utilized to their full potential. A new above-ground pedestrian system was created to connect CSL, the main building, and Alexander Garden with technology support, thus providing students with a complete and fun interactive walking experience. In addition, the internal layout of the main building and Alexander’s Garden has been promoted to enhance its social attributes and encourage students to actively define and use the campus space rather than just studying in the classroom. The design will ultimately present a new type of campus similar to an amusement park, where students can explore the campus with their curiosity, meet new friends, and freely use their imagination. Under this open learning atmosphere, they will learn to apply their basic knowledge more flexibly and think more imaginatively.

As times change, universities should also change in response to the needs of their students. In a world that is transforming, the ability of students to respond flexibly to unpredictable challenges is quite important, and to achieve this, the learning environment on campus needs to stimulate students’ imagination and make them think about what if rather than what is. In order to achieve this purpose, the campus’s interactivity, openness, and fun are particularly significant and are the main research directions of this architectural design.