BRAC University campus wins RIBA International Award for Excellence
BRAC University's Dhaka campus has been recognised as one of the world's leading new architectural projects, securing a place among the winners of the RIBA International Awards for Excellence 2026.
The campus, designed by Singapore-based architecture firm WOHA, is one of 34 projects chosen from a global shortlist of 52, as announced by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) on 10 June 2026.
The biennial awards honour projects that address pressing global challenges.
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The 2026 winners tackle issues including climate change, migration, housing, rapid urbanisation, and infrastructure, highlighting architecture's capacity to improve daily life and promote a more equitable and resilient future.
"What connects this year's winners is a strong sense of generosity towards people, place, and the future," said Awards Group Chair Neil Gillespie.
"These projects demonstrate confidence in architecture's ability to create delight and dignity while addressing environmental, social, and economic constraints. Rather than relying on spectacle, they emphasise the value of thoughtful, enduring design rooted in context," he said.
BRAC University's campus has transformed a derelict dumping ground into a vibrant 170,000 sq m academic and civic hub.
Built on a compact 2.14-hectare site, the 13-storey development employs a distinctive "club sandwich" sectional strategy, elevating nine levels of academic spaces above a publicly accessible campus park.
The design maximises land use and fosters social interaction and community engagement.
It integrates academic, civic, and recreational functions across multiple levels, including classrooms, laboratories, an auditorium, a multipurpose hall, an amphitheatre, and rooftop facilities such as a swimming pool, cricket pitch, and running track.
Grounded in passive tropical design principles, the campus promotes sustainability with horizontal breezeways aligned to prevailing winds, enabling natural cross-ventilation.
This approach significantly reduces reliance on air conditioning while creating comfortable, nature-connected learning environments.
