The principle behind this design was to make 'a university in a garden', with 'a strong focus on ecological sustainability'. The main feature of the garden is a series of lakes, created by excavating more than a million cubic metres of soil from the marshland site. The building elevations combine local elements.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture

See also:

Curtin Sawarak Official Website. http://www.curtin.edu.my/. [Accessed December 20, 2006]