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

PA Media

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.

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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…

National Autonomous University of Mexico (Alamy/PA)

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.

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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.

Art Museum of The University of Minnesota (Alamy/PA)

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

Forman University Tower Clock (Alamy/PA)

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

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

The Radcliffe Camera, reading room of the Bodleian Library at Oxford University, UK (Alamy/PA)

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?

View over Clearwater Bay from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China (Alamy/PA)

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.

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

Yale University campus, New Haven, Connecticut, USA (Alamy/PA)

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