Shajin Primary School is situated on the banks of Mingyue Lake in Shajin Village, Yubei District, Chongqing (currently part of the Liangjiang New Area Collaborative Innovation Zone). Originally built in the late 1980s as a rural primary school, it was abandoned in the early 21st century. Today, it has been transformed into a university relocation hall and a supportive public service space commemorating the Anti-Japanese War era.
△ Original building
△ Original building
Site Response: The design embraces a poetic connection with nature, adapting to the local environment. The original playground on the east side is utilized to create a spatial relationship between the upper and lower terraces. The upper platform serves as the main entrance, while the lower platform offers a relaxed atmosphere and expansive views of the waterfront. On the west side, five overlapping viewing platforms link the varying terrain levels, enabling the building to conform to the landscape while providing a seamless public roaming experience. The landscape design prioritizes ecological restoration by preserving the original topography and abundant vegetation, favoring the use of native and wild plants.
Old and New: Reflecting the passage of time, the original three-story brick and concrete structure was preserved with a “light intervention” approach. A new steel structure was introduced to harmonize the old and new, overlapping with the original volume while independently supporting the load. A continuous curved sloping roof was added at the entrance of the exhibition hall on the east side, creating a transitional gray space that softens the previously rigid boundaries between indoor and outdoor areas while enhancing the sense of ceremony.
Borrowing Scenery: Rediscovering everyday pleasures, a 30-meter-long ramp on the east entrance connects the upper and lower terraces. At the ramp’s end stands a majestic, ancient tree preserved from the original site, creating a visual dialogue with a row of trees along the shore. From the second-floor indoor staircase platform, visitors can directly view the landscaped entrance, fostering a dynamic relationship of seeing and being seen. The interior design employs the technique of borrowing distant views, allowing occupants to experience the vast, unfolding landscape as they move through the space, with scenery changing at every step.
Context: The renovation preserves the spirit of place. Once an idle rural school serving local children, Shajin Primary School now functions as an exhibition hall commemorating the grand history of university relocations during the Anti-Japanese War. This transformation not only repurposes the space but also continues the cultural narrative and spatial spirit, linking past educational functions to contemporary historical education.
Outlook: Addressing rural primary education as a means to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty is key to rural transformation. Architects play a crucial role in redefining rural identity. Preserving the physical space honors the past, while the memory space retains the essence of the mountains, wind, sunlight, as well as the passage of time and human emotion.
Project Drawings
△ General Layout Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Third Floor Plan
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Section Diagram
△ Axonometric Diagram
Project Information
Architect: Yueji Architecture
Area: 1,450 square meters
Project Year: 2021
Photographer: Prism Images, Qi Tian
Lead Architects: Tian Qi, He Biao, Li Jun
Design Team: Liangqing Wan, Jian Guo, Xu Liu, Yuzhan Weng, Jing Sun, Zexi Lu
Owner: Liangjiang Collaborative Innovation Zone Construction Investment Development Co., Ltd
Construction Drawing Unit: Chongqing Hefang Urban Planning and Design Co., Ltd
Location: Chongqing, China
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