The project is situated at Youlan Middle School, approximately one kilometer from the 120th Division School in Shanxixing County. The site features a 6-meter elevation change from north to south and is located along the central axis of the campus, positioned between the teaching and residential zones. The complex comprises a library and specialized classrooms.
The surrounding mountain villages have inspired us deeply. Our goal was for the architecture to evoke the image of a village, creating a multi-level, meandering spatial experience. This design contrasts the original rigid teaching buildings by offering a porous structure that invites exploration and movement.
The folded walls extend along the terrain, with professional classrooms and exhibition spaces—such as libraries, art, music, and geography rooms—nestled between them. This arrangement creates an alternating pattern of buildings and courtyards.
The building’s interior and exterior seamlessly blend, offering diverse social and communication areas for both teachers and students. On the east side, adjacent to the sports field, the space transforms into a grandstand or sports venue shaded in the afternoon. On the west side, facing the dormitories, entrance plazas welcome visitors to the library and art building.
The continuous, winding walls guide interior views to varied scenes, making it difficult to see the entire building at once—much like the spatial experience of a village. With every step, the scenery shifts, revealing layers of unfolding visual narratives.
The skylights are designed to follow the contours of the concrete folded walls, creating quiet reading areas and stable display spaces for artwork indoors. These skylights also reduce the window area on the walls, adapting better to the local cold climate.
The concrete folded walls vary in height and feature a rough wood grain texture, harmonizing with the majestic surrounding mountains.
Project Drawings
△ Hand-drawn analysis diagram
△ General layout plan
△ First floor plan
△ Basement floor plan
△ Second floor plan
△ Third floor plan
△ Section diagram
Project Information
Architect: WAU Design
Area: 8,690 m²
Project Year: 2021
Photographer: Wu Siming
Manufacturer: Ex: Hunter Douglas
Lead Architects: Wu Linshou, Zhao Xiangying
Design Team: Li Jingzhou, Lin Guangfu, Zhang Shihao, Zhan Jiexin, Zeng Zhenhao, Shi Siyu, Valentina Lupo, Alexandre Midou
Landscape Design: Zhou Yingli, Zheng Yalong
Client: Youlan Middle School
Construction Drawing Deepening Team: Shenzhen Qinghuayuan Architecture and Planning Design Research Co., Ltd
Location: Xing County
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