Editor’s Note: This case study features the Cultural and Sports Center at the Liangxiang Campus of Beijing Institute of Technology. It is a large-scale sports facility that integrates swimming pools, gyms, martial arts rooms, boxing areas, and various other activity spaces. The architectural design draws inspiration from the university’s focus on military technology, prominently featuring metallic aluminum and silver-gray materials to emphasize a military-inspired, rational architectural atmosphere. A standout feature is the distinctive curved roof, influenced by Leonardo da Vinci’s aircraft designs and the parabolic curves commonly used in military science.
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The new Beijing Institute of Technology Sports Center is situated in Liangxiang, a satellite city of Beijing. Together with the adjacent sports hall, it forms the prominent entrance to the new campus.
The sports center adds approximately 15,700 square meters of sports facilities, including a basketball court with 3,000 seats, a 10-lane swimming pool, gymnasiums, martial arts spaces, boxing rooms, taekwondo areas, table tennis spaces, and more.
Beijing Institute of Technology has a long-standing focus on military science. This project draws inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci’s aircraft as well as the parabolic curves widely used in military science, continuing da Vinci’s interdisciplinary dialogue between science, architecture, and art.
After extensive study of the history of art and science, three floating, related surfaces were designed as the building roofs. These are supported by a spatial grid structure that facilitates topological connections. The entire roof and facade are covered by a vertically locked metal roofing system and curtain wall.
Aluminum metal is extensively used on roofs, ceilings, and facades, giving the buildings a consistent metallic tone that echoes the industrial aesthetics found in military design.
Leonardo da Vinci, celebrated as the ultimate “Renaissance man,” advocated for individuals to develop both physical and mental strength. The Beijing Institute of Technology Sports Center embodies this vision by creating a multidimensional, open campus environment designed to nurture students’ physical and mental abilities while fostering inter-school dialogue.
The design aims to enable dialogue through spatial permeability at both urban and architectural scales. On an urban level, the basketball court is positioned at the southeast corner of the building, integrating seamlessly with the main campus traffic flow and street life. The swimming pool, located on the west side, connects directly to the campus central square.
At the architectural scale, the basketball court seating is elevated by one floor, creating an interconnected space underneath on the first floor. This design fosters a strong connection between indoor and outdoor areas, establishing new visual horizons and permeability from the street into the campus.
A built-in entrance corridor between the swimming pool and basketball court features two north-south exits, directly linking the previously separated northern and southern campus areas.
On the third floor, above the basketball seating, a large window offers sweeping views of the entrance corridor, the swimming pool across the hall, and the adjacent campus area.
The sports rooms behind the swimming pool—dedicated to taekwondo, table tennis, and testing—are located on the second, third, and fourth floors. They have separate access paths to the pool and share a skylight positioned above the swimming pool. This transparent spatial interface enables vertical spatial connectivity through nested sectional designs.
Technical Drawings
△ General Layout Plan
△ Profiles 1-1 & 2-2
△ Profiles 3-3 & 4-4
△ Node Sample
Project Information
Owner: Beijing Institute of Technology
Location: Beijing, China
Category: Sports Center
Architectural Scheme & Interior Design: Atelier Alter Architects, Contemporary Architecture
Design General Contractor: China Zhongyuan International Engineering Co., Ltd
Design Consulting: Beijing Hanhua Architectural Design Co., Ltd
Lead Designers: Zhang Jiyuan, Bu Xiaojun
Architectural Design Team: Li Zhenwei, Qin Kai, Jiang Ping, Huang Wei, Liu Tongwei, Du Dehu, Zhang Jiahe, Yan Ran, Zheng Lairong, Mei Jiaming, Song Lidong, Zhao Xiaoxiao, Zhang Jingjing, Wei Bida, Xiong Wei, Chen Weidi, Guo Xiaoqing, Da Xueyun, Huang Bo, Ma Leilei, Cao Hui
Structure: China Zhongyuan International Engineering Co., Ltd
Mechanical and Electrical: China Zhongyuan International Engineering Co., Ltd
Interior Design: Atelier Alter Architects – Contemporary Architecture
Landscape Design: China Zhongyuan International Engineering Co., Ltd
Curtain Wall Consultant: Shenzhen Pengge Curtain Wall Design Consulting Co., Ltd
Lighting Consultant: ZDP Zhongchen Yuanzhan Han Wenjing Studio, Jingyun Youjin Lighting Design
Acoustic Consultant: China Zhongyuan International Engineering Co., Ltd
Engineering Supervision: Beijing Zhongjing Hengji Engineering Management Co., Ltd
Construction Contractor: Beijing Construction Engineering Group Co., Ltd
Fine Decoration Construction: Beijing Senhongli Decoration Engineering Co., Ltd
Curtain Wall Construction: Shandong Tianmu Group Corporation
Manufacturers: Huo Gaowen Building Systems (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd., Taitong Construction Co., Ltd., Beijing Bolongsheng Industry and Trade Co., Ltd
Project Cost: 152 million RMB
Area: 15,692 square meters
Project Completion: July 2019
Photographers: Jin Weiqi, Highlite Images (highlight images), Atelier Alter Architects Time and Environment Architecture
Image Copyright: Atelier Alter Architects
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