Nan Tien Institute is a new tertiary education institution situated opposite Nan Tien Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere. The architectural response took inspiration from the Humanistic Buddhist teachings of Fo Guang Shan, resulting in a building that avoids hierarchy, is of the now, values the void and provides a neutral environment devoid of excess and materialism. A conceptual reference for the architecture was the lotus flower; a pristine, beautiful bloom that arises from the mud. In this case, the curving concrete walls of the building soar from the formerly contaminated industrial site, bought by the Institute from the local council for one Australian dollar. The first on the institute’s site, the building is designed as a mini campus, creating a collegiate learning environment for students. The concrete walls perform as a programmatic device organising the building into four distinct ‘pods’ separated by a grand triple-height atrium void. The pods are linked by active pedestrian bridges, allowing movement throughout the building to become a journey comprised of moments, destinations and thresholds. The orientation of the voids between the pods is deliberately set to key aspects of the site: temple and pagoda, entry forecourt, the mountain peaks and the future Nan Tien Plaza. The curved feature walls have been constructed out of 169 individual precast concrete panels, creating the signature form of the building. Concrete is a material with humble origins and direct association with the land, supporting the Buddhist notion of providing a neutral environment devoid of materialism and excess. The concrete walls act as a blank canvas, emphasising the activity of the occupants and registering the spirituality of light as it changes hue throughout the day. Individual curved steel molds were constructed with a timber lining inlay to achieve the board-form finish, allowing an imprint of the timber to be cast into the detail of the final pod facades. Precast panels were transported to site in pairs from South Australia. Precast was selected as the appropriate method, enabling the design team to ensure the quality and control of the finish, as well as the speed and cost of construction. A design challenge was to seamlessly accommodate the joint lines and connection details as well as consider the logistics of producing and transporting the panels. Terracotta tiles and screens were used on the North-East and West facades, linking back to the roof of the Nan Tien Temple and Pagoda. The undulating wave pattern of the screens creates a sense of movement while providing environmental shading to the interiors. The foyer gallery is the gateway to the campus. An impressive, triple height space enclosed by the feature concrete walls, it is a multi-purpose foyer allowing for reception of visitors, congregation of students, and may be used as gallery or for special ceremonial events. It forms a grand entry to the building from the eastern drop-off and allows access to all sides of the building. This space has significant cultural symbolism to humanistic Buddhism in the sense that it is the void where ‘life happens’. It is a democratic space, open to visitors, that allows glimpses of movement and activity from one pod to another. The design of the building reflects the Nan Tien Institute’s aims to foster holistic education. The first campus building will cater for 300 students and is designed to provide an environment conducive to teaching and learning in the 21st century by creating a setting for community interaction, education and cultural exchange. There was a holistic strategy around sustainable design. Due to the nature of the project, the design team was conscious of providing an environmentally and culturally sensitive design that is open to Buddhists and non-Buddhist visitors and students alike. The design promotes connectivity with the surrounds of the Institute by considering the building’s location and wider context. Positioned within a challenging site topographically, the design maximises views to the Nan Tien Temple, Mt Keira and Mt Kembla. Integrating indoor and outdoor learning environments, breakout spaces provide an extension to the classroom and an opportunity for social interaction. The active bridges linking each of the pods promotes connectivity and circulation around the Institute’s interiors. A useable rooftop garden will grow edible fruits and herbs as well as provide a tranquil place to meditate. The design encourages natural ventilation where possible, with operable windows in classrooms and louvred facades to reduce heat loads. Similarly, natural light is drawn into the atrium, allowing it to filter through to classrooms. Precast concrete is a versatile and durable material, produced in a controlled factory environment with minimal waste. Precast's thermal mass reduces the reliance of mechanical systems and increases user comfort. Remediation of a former tip site, the development significantly improves the appearance of the site from the public domain and enhances the attractiveness of the local area.