NYU Shanghai forges connections between academic and local communities, translating cultural values alongside programmatic needs, to provide a gateway and exchange of Chinese and international students - integrating liberal arts education with specialized Chinese programs. Campus design comprises an arrangement of four different buildings, producing a ring of diverse, collaborative spaces and organizing outdoor scales from expansive quads to intimate alcoves. The campus is stacked vertically, providing layers of teaching, research, cultural, and faculty office floors across the campus.