Irpin is a city defined by its forest. The design for the State Tax University, "Learning Beneath the Trees," honors this bond, winning the May 2025 International Architectural Competition to rebuild the campus. As the Principal & Lead Landscape Architect for the competition entry, Chris sought to weave the university back into its landscape, creating a place where education and ecology breathe together.

The "Garden Gateway" acts as an open threshold, inviting the city into a sanctuary of dappled light. At its heart lies the "STU Community Room"—a series of sun-drenched terraces designed for quiet reflection and shared recovery. By prioritizing the land as the primary guide, the design offers a sense of calm and a place to belong.

Today, this work serves as a global case study for the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. It stands as a reminder that even in the wake of conflict, a thoughtful landscape can help a community find its way back to itself.