Located on the site of a former large-scale chemical plant just outside Beijing’s East Fourth Ring Road, this campus is part of a rapidly developing urban community that now houses tens of thousands of residents. We are designing a 72-class, 12-year integrated basic education campus here, aiming to meet the evolving demands of educational reform with a distinctive architectural style. The design seeks to convey warmth, inspire learning, and offer a gentle counterpoint to the monotonous urban rhythm created by the many similar residential buildings surrounding the area.
The campus adopts a clustered layout for the basic teaching units, creating a vibrant learning community. This design fosters a sense of familiarity, akin to being at home, encourages coexistence with neighbors, and promotes communication and sharing among students and staff.
Given the constraints of land size and sunlight exposure, the campus is arranged vertically. The basic teaching units occupy the second to fourth floors, while the first and underground floors serve as public teaching spaces, including areas for experiments, arts, clubs, and more. This stacking approach not only facilitates easy movement between functions but also breaks down barriers to encourage interaction.
The public teaching floor extends its accessibility throughout the campus, with a rooftop platform that expands outdoor activity areas. This design makes recess activities more convenient for students on the higher floors.
Underground Utilization
The site includes a large excavation pit used to remove contaminated soil from the former chemical plant. However, the limited land area cannot fully meet the growing educational needs of the local population. To address this, we have repurposed the pit by situating the public teaching floor and facilities such as sports, swimming, performance, and dining spaces underground.
These large venues can be accessed by the community during different times and in designated areas, effectively maximizing the use of space.
We address challenges related to lighting, ventilation, and fire evacuation in underground spaces by incorporating sunken courtyards. Connectivity, elevated structures, and landscaping help eliminate the typical sense of confinement and oppression associated with underground environments.
Different courtyards are themed to enrich the campus experience, featuring open-air theaters, campus markets, recreational sports areas, and mobile exhibition spaces.
Our design philosophy is to decentralize and flatten the campus, promoting interaction through spatial transparency and fluidity. This approach allows learning to occur anytime and anywhere, empowering learners by providing inclusive and universal spaces that stimulate creativity and critical thinking.
We envision this campus as more than just a place of education—it represents an attitude and an active contribution to strengthening both learners and the wider community.
Project Drawings
△ General Layout Plan
△ Underground Floor Plan
△ Underground Second Floor Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Third Floor Plan
△ Fourth Floor Plan
△ Roof Plan
△ Sectional Perspective
△ Sectional Perspective
△ Section Diagram
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Detailed Drawing
△ Analysis Chart
△ Exploded Diagram
△ Exploded Diagram
△ Analysis Chart
△ Children’s Hand-Drawn Illustrations
Project Information
Architect: Beijing Institute of Architectural Design and Research
Area: 96,751 square meters
Project Year: 2021
Photographers: Meng Zhou, Zheng Wang, Shaopeng Li
Manufacturers: Middling Coal, FIRST, D-Mei
Principal Architects: Wang Xiaogong, Wang Zheng
Design Team: Chen Kaidi, Jia Wenruo, Yang Kai, Li Shaopeng, He Yaqin, Lu Zhi, Zhang Danming, Gao Cheng, Yang Chen, Ding Yang, Zhou Meng
Structural Design: Yang Yong, Chen Dong, Sun Ke, Qian Fengxia, Jin Han
Equipment Design: Wu Yuhong, Zeng Ruolang, Wu Xuelei
Electrical Design: Tension, Chen Ting
Principal: Chaoyang District Education Commission, Beijing
Construction Party: China Xinxing Construction Engineering Co., Ltd
Location: Beijing, China
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