Campus Buildings, Landmarks and Sustainability: A Gazetteer and Visual Guide to the Mountain City

The CUHK campus is built against the mountainside, climbing from the edge of Tolo Harbour at the foot all the way up to hilltop plateaus. Over six decades, more than a hundred buildings have been layered across three artificially levelled terraces carved out of the hill. This entry is a comprehensive architectural dossier on the University’s physical face, uniting three dimensions: a gazetteer (how buildings are named and which buildings sit in each zone), a visual guide (the facts behind the construction and naming of landmarks such as University Mall, the Gate of Wisdom, the Pavilion of Harmony, and Lake Ad Excellentiam), and sustainability (how the campus was planned and is now pivoting towards a low-carbon future). Facts come first, traced to on-the-ground sources. For campus geography and elevation, see campus-geography.md; for museums and ecology, see museums-and-ecology.md; for external transport and the campus shuttle, see transport-facilities.md.

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# I. The Logic of Names: How CUHK Buildings Get Their Names

CUHK building names can be broadly grouped into four categories. The first is “donor-named”: a building is named after its principal benefactor. This is the largest category and includes the Run Run Shaw Science Building and Sir Run Run Shaw Hall (both named after Sir Run Run Shaw). The second is “commemorating a distinguished predecessor”: named after a college founder or a leading academic, such as New Asia College’s Ch’ien Mu Library (commemorating its founder, Ch’ien Mu (錢穆)). The third is “functional naming”: named directly after its use, such as the University Administration Building or the University Library. The fourth is “conceptual or personal naming”: drawing from allusions, ideas, or memorialised figures, such as Lake Ad Excellentiam (the name plays on the idea of “not yet perfect, so one must strive for perfection” 「仍未圓滿，須力求圓滿」), the Pavilion of Harmony (taking its name from Ch’ien Mu’s essay “On the Unity of Heaven and Man” 「天人合一論」), and the Benjamin Franklin Centre (named after the Chinese translated name of the American Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin).

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# II. The Planning Context: W. Szeto and “Levelling into Three Steps”

The “upper, middle, lower” skeleton of the CUHK campus is the result of a feat of planning and earthworks, with the architect W. Szeto (司徒惠) as its central figure. The key to understanding CUHK’s architecture is this: the campus geometry does not follow the natural mountain contours; rather, the hill was planned and carved into three artificial terraces. The core teaching, administrative, and library buildings, along with United College, built between the 1960s and 70s, were largely the work of W. Szeto, who established the campus’s early, unified modernist skeleton.

• Role and tenure: According to Wikipedia’s entry on W. Szeto, from 1963 he served as the University’s Architect and planner of its “University Development Plan”, and later served as its Honorary Architect from 1978 to 1987^※ (per Wikipedia: W. Szeto).
• Levelling the hill: Wikipedia notes he “meticulously planned the entire hill where the campus is sited, levelling it into a three-stepped layout”^※. The official description of today’s campus being “on three levels along the mountainside” originates directly from this.
• Works: CUHK buildings he designed include the Institute of Chinese Studies, the University Administration Building, the University Science Centre and its Extension, the University Library, the entire campus of United College, the Humanities Building of New Asia College, and the Benjamin Franklin Centre (1969)^※, along with the “Gentleman’s Tower” and “Lady’s Tower” water towers, and Hui Garden.
• Honours and donations: He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by CUHK in 1978^※ and donated the sculpture “The Gate” (Ju Ming Gate) by Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming (朱銘), which was installed in the Library Piazza in 1987 (per Wikipedia: W. Szeto).

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# III. Teaching and Academic Buildings on the Main Campus (Mostly Middle Level)

The CUHK campus is built along a mountainside, forming three terraced levels from the foot (near Tolo Harbour and University Station) to the hilltop (see Campus Geography for details). This gazetteer marks the level in the “Location” column wherever possible.

During his tenure (per Wikipedia: W. Szeto, he served as University Architect and planner of the “University Development Plan” from 1963–1978), W. Szeto’s designs for CUHK included the Institute of Chinese Studies, University Administration Building, University Science Centre and its Extension, University Library, the entire United College campus, and the Humanities Building of New Asia College (per Wikipedia: W. Szeto).

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# IV. The Library System

According to Wikipedia’s entry on the CUHK Library, the University library system comprises multiple branch libraries^※ (per Wikipedia: CUHK Library).

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# V. Cultural and Sports Venues

Sir Run Run Shaw Hall is a versatile venue. Its official website notes it is suitable for a wide range of cultural and recreational activities, including concerts, drama, dance, ceremonies, and lectures^※ (per Sir Run Run Shaw Hall official website). Sir Run Run Shaw’s philanthropy at CUHK can also be seen in Shaw College, the Run Run Shaw Science Building, and elsewhere.

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# VI. College Buildings (by College)

CUHK operates a collegiate system. Each college has its own independent student residences, activity centres, and landmarks. The origins and characteristics of the college system are the centrepiece of Module 10; this section lists only the landmark buildings directly relevant to “campus architecture”.

# The Gentleman’s Tower and the Lady’s Tower (Water Towers)

According to Wikipedia’s entry on W. Szeto, the campus’s two water towers, the “Gentleman’s Tower” and “Lady’s Tower”^※, were designed by W. Szeto. Along with Hui Garden and the “Ju Ming Gate” sculpture he donated, they are considered campus landmarks (per Wikipedia: W. Szeto).

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# VII. Visual Guide: University Mall and the Central Campus

Let us read the “core landscape ensemble” beyond the building list on its own — these spaces are both physical places and anchors of CUHK’s collective memory. The campus of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, according to the official “Introducing CUHK” page^※, spans about 138.4 hectares, overlooks Tolo Harbour, and is officially described as the largest and greenest university campus in Hong Kong. This hillside campus, which the CUHK community calls the “mountain city” (山城), has at its “heart” the Central Campus, located on the upper ground in the middle of the site.

University Mall is the long, open strip of ground in the centre of the CUHK main campus. According to Wikipedia, its official name is the “University Mall” (林蔭大道)^※, and it forms a “University Piazza” with its surrounding buildings. According to the CUHK official landmarks page^※, the Mall lies between the University Library and the Science Centre, making it the most iconic walkway on the CUHK campus, and the site of the University’s annual Congregation — where graduates line up, take group photos, and complete an important rite of passage.

• Orientation: Per Wikipedia, the Mall has the Science Centre at its east end (home to the Faculty of Science) and the University Library at its west end, with administration buildings, research institutes, and activity spaces on either side (per Wikipedia: University Mall).
• Emblem monument: According to Wikipedia’s entry on CUHK, the University Emblem monument on University Mall was erected in 1978^※. According to a CUHK 60th Anniversary Miniature Exhibition press release^※, the University Science Centre and the Four Stone Pillars are listed alongside University Mall as iconic structures of CUHK.
• Uses: Per Wikipedia, University Mall is a venue for annual Congregations, student activities such as the Art Fair (藝墟), and large-scale assemblies (per Wikipedia: University Mall).

On the name “Million Dollar Avenue” (including popular lore): The Chinese name for University Mall, “Million Dollar Avenue” (a literal translation of 百萬大道), arouses much curiosity. According to one saying recorded on the CUHK official landmarks page^※, the construction of University Mall cost approximately one million (dollars), hence the name. Whether the “million” refers to construction costs or alludes to something else, the stories vary. The “approx. one million construction cost” is one circulating explanation recorded by a source and is folklore rather than a verified figure; readers should be aware of this. Whatever the origin of the name, University Mall’s status as the most important ceremonial and event space at CUHK is beyond dispute.

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# VIII. Visual Guide: The Gate of Wisdom and the “Ju Ming Gate” Sculpture

The Gate of Wisdom piazza (often called the “Beacon Tower”, Fung4 Fo2 Toi4) is a raised platform at the University Library end of University Mall. On it stands a sculpture named “Ju Ming Gate” (also known as the “Gate of Wisdom”).

• Sculptor and donation: According to Wikipedia’s entry on W. Szeto, the sculpture “The Gate” (Ju Ming Gate) is a work by Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming (朱銘). It was donated by the University’s architect, W. Szeto, and installed in the Library Piazza in 1987^※. The entry for University Mall also notes the presence on the Gate of Wisdom piazza of a sculpture named “Ju Ming Gate”, made by Ju Ming^※ (per Wikipedia: University Mall).
• As an event space: According to the CUHK official landmarks page^※, the sculpture “Gate of Wisdom” stands in the forecourt of the main entrance to the University Library, and its broad, rectangular pedestal is a popular venue for student activities, especially open forums and ceremonies.
• Learning Garden: Beneath the Gate of Wisdom piazza lies the 24-hour “Learning Garden”; to protect this historic landmark, the Learning Garden was constructed below the piazza during the 2012 library extension.

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# IX. Visual Guide: The Pavilion of Harmony and Lake Ad Excellentiam

# The Pavilion of Harmony

The Pavilion of Harmony is located between New Asia College’s student hostels, the Xue Si Building and the Zhi Xing Building. It is a famous CUHK seafront landmark known for its vista where “water and sky merge into one”.

• Completion and donation: Per Wikipedia, the Pavilion of Harmony was completed in December 2003, donated by Ms. Wu Chung-lin, and designed by Professor Chan Wai-kee^※ (per Wikipedia: Pavilion of Harmony).
• Design concept: Per Wikipedia, the Pavilion of Harmony takes its meaning from the concept of the “unity of heaven and humanity” (天人合一). Using a crescent-shaped shallow pool and a glass structure, it “links the water in the pool with the vista of Tolo Harbour”^※ to create an effect of merged water and sky, standing as a representative work of contemporary landscape architecture.
• Origin of the name: Per Wikipedia, the Pavilion of Harmony commemorates New Asia College founder Ch’ien Mu (錢穆) and his essay “On the Unity of Heaven and Man” (天人合一論)^※; Ch’ien Mu’s essay and a corresponding seal are inscribed on the pavilion’s exterior wall.

# Lake Ad Excellentiam

Lake Ad Excellentiam is located at Chung Chi College on the lower campus and is the college’s most famous waterside landmark.

• Origin of the name: According to Chung Chi College materials, the name Lake Ad Excellentiam derives from the idea of being “not yet perfect, so one must strive for perfection”^※, echoing Chung Chi’s motto, “In Pursuit of Excellence” (止於至善), and its spirit of unceasing self-improvement.
• Two bridges: According to Chung Chi College materials, during a major renovation in the mid-1990s, two new bridges were built^※ over the lake — a zigzag bridge on the east side and an arched bridge on the west side, symbolising the peaks and twists of life’s journey.
• Former name: According to Chung Chi College materials, the lake was formerly known as the “Lily Pond” (荷花池) (per Chung Chi College: College Lake). For an account of the lake’s ecology (waterbirds, flora), see Museums and Campus Ecology.

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# X. Visual Guide: The Institute of Chinese Studies and Yasumoto International Academic Park

• The Institute of Chinese Studies is both a research institution and an architectural landmark on campus, with an inner courtyard built as a Chinese garden. According to CUHK Art Museum materials, the Art Museum was established in 1971, under the Institute of Chinese Studies^※. The Institute’s building was designed^※ by the University’s architect, W. Szeto. For details of the Art Museum’s collections and its new wing, which opened in 2025, see Art Museum and Institute of Chinese Studies.
• Yasumoto International Academic Park (YIA): According to Wikipedia’s entry on CUHK, YIA opened in 2013^※ to meet the needs of the “3-3-4” new academic structure. It is located on the upper side of University Station.
• Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change: According to Wikipedia, this museum is located on the 8th floor of YIA and opened on 16 December 2013^※. It is the world's first museum dedicated to climate change. For more, see Museums and Campus Ecology.

# Public Sculpture in University Station Piazza (Facts of Placement)

Several pieces of public art have been installed in the plaza outside the MTR University Station. This section only objectively records the facts of their placement and relocation. According to Wikipedia, a Goddess of Democracy statue (approximately 6.4 metres tall, made of fibreglass, created by Chan Wai-ming) was placed in the University Station piazza on 5 June 2010, and removed by the university authorities on 24 December 2021^※ (per Wikipedia: Hong Kong Goddess of Democracy statue).

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# XI. Architectural Style (Overview)

The early architecture at CUHK is dominated by the modernism of the 1960s and 70s, characterised by fair-faced concrete, geometric volumes, and split-level construction following the mountainside. Later additions (from the 2000s onwards) have introduced more contemporary architectural vocabulary and environmentally friendly designs, for example:

• Run Run Shaw Science Building: According to CUHK Newsletter, it received a Merit Award in the Community Building category at the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Annual Awards 2006^※. The building is built into the hillside.
• Pavilion of Harmony (2003, designed by Chan Wai-kee): Its use of glass and a crescent-shaped shallow pool to achieve a “merged water and sky” effect makes it a representative work of contemporary landscape architecture (per Wikipedia: Pavilion of Harmony).
• New Wing of the Art Museum (2025): According to Wikipedia’s entry on the Art Museum, it was designed by architect Rocco Yim, using a cantilevered structure and fair-faced concrete exterior walls (per Wikipedia: Art Museum; see the Art Museum special file for details).

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# XII. Green Campus and Carbon Neutral 2038

The CUHK campus is renowned for its extensive green coverage. According to the CUHK English website, the campus is largely covered in greenery and features pavilions, a herbal garden, sculptures, award-winning architecture, and natural scenery^※. According to the CUHK Sustainable Campus page, the green campus initiative is organised around five core areas: campus greening and wildlife, climate and energy, green building, waste reduction and recycling, and water conservation^※ (per CUHK English: Sustainable Campus).

The University’s landmark commitment to sustainable development is its “Carbon Neutral 2038” target:

• Target year: According to CUHK’s Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development Office (SRSDO), the University has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2038^※ and describes itself as “the first university in Hong Kong to commit to achieving carbon neutrality”^※.
• Alignment with national and territorial targets: According to the SRSDO, this 2038 target aligns with the net-zero emission pledges of mainland China (2060) and Hong Kong (2050)^※.
• Governance structure: According to the SRSDO, a “Carbon Neutral Task Force” was established on 1 November 2021^※ under the Committee on Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development to coordinate decarbonisation efforts.

# Key Decarbonisation Measures

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