Gaia wins UNESCO grand prize

by Derek Rodriguez 

For one night in December, Gaia stole the show as Paris rose to applaud the newly crowned winner of the prestigious Prix Versailles award, the grand prize under the World’s Most Beautiful Campuses category. Held each year at the UNESCO headquarters, the Prix Versailles celebrates design, innovation and sustainability – qualities Gaia was judged to possess in spades.

Gaia continued a winning streak of more than 10 international accolades in the past two years, triumphing over five other world-class university buildings in the US, UK, France and China that were also shortlisted in this competition.

Named after the Greek goddess of the Earth, Gaia is the largest wooden building in Asia and constructed with mass-engineered timber harvested from sustainably managed forests. Compared to conventional concrete buildings, it emits 2,500 fewer tonnes of carbon dioxide a year – equivalent to over 7,000 roundtrip flights between Singapore and Hong Kong. It is also one of 10 buildings on campus with the Green Mark Platinum Zero Energy award, certifying that it consumes only as much energy as it produces.

CNN says walking into Gaia is “like entering a forest”. And as you stand in its impressive lobby, with sunlight streaming in between timber pillars, it’s easy to make the connection. This feature minimises the dependence on electrically powered lights and fans to create a comfortable environment.

Beauty in the form of architectural excellence on campuses helps to spur the learning process. It contributes to the wellbeing of students and instructors alike, and represents an undeniable mark of trust and an invitation to shine.

Jérôme Gouadain, Secretary General of the Prix Versailles

 

Explore Gaia and NTU's other iconic buildings in a song composed and sung by NTU student and singer-songwriter shazza.

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This story was published in the Jan-Feb 2025 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.