Liangxi District, as an urban area, faces a shortage of school building resources. In response, the government is committed to optimizing the educational resource layout to establish genuinely accessible and high-quality schools for the community.
This nine-year integrated school, which comprises 36 primary school classes and 18 secondary school classes, not only meets the standard per capita land use requirements but also reserves ample space for future development beyond these standards.
The irregular shape of the site presents challenges in the overall school layout, making the space feel somewhat constrained. Once a standard 400-meter running track and associated sports facilities are placed, the remaining land leaves limited room for altering the school buildings’ arrangement.
Therefore, the design focuses on meeting functional requirements and maximizing building efficiency while introducing spatial interest and uniqueness. Addressing the impact of the irregular southwestern plot is a key concern.
After positioning the four basic teaching units, a curved corridor is introduced to soften the otherwise rational and efficient layout. This design element adds emotional warmth and a sense of relaxation.
The “Qulang” corridor serves multiple purposes: it functions as an important space integrating administrative buildings with specialized classrooms, facilitates circulation, and acts as a public gathering area.
Qulang wraps around various blocks, connecting them and creating enclosed courtyards of varying sizes. These courtyards seamlessly blend teaching and auxiliary spaces beneath the second floor with the natural surroundings, creating a sensory and dynamic environment.
Above the second floor, vertical zones house ordinary classrooms and administrative offices, maintaining a quiet and rational atmosphere.
The main entrance is located on the south side of the campus. Upon entering, the administrative building extends vertically along the curved corridor.
Two teaching buildings to the north serve the primary school, with their entrance and drop-off areas concentrated on the campus’s south side. The northernmost five-story teaching building accommodates the middle school, with its entrance and drop-off located on the north side.
The irregular plot in the southeast corner is dedicated to art and sports facilities, including cafeterias, lecture halls, and sheltered playgrounds.
Despite the strict constraints, Yangming Experimental School successfully fulfills all teaching functions. The design aims to infuse the campus with poetic elements using simple, unconventional methods, blending emotional warmth within a calm and rational framework.
Project Drawings
△ General Layout Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Third Floor Plan
△ Fourth Floor Plan
△ Fifth Floor Plan
△ Underground Floor Plan
△ Underground Second Floor Plan
Project Information
Architect: Mi Zhang Architecture
Area: 73,000 m²
Project Year: 2023
Photographer: Wu Qingshan
Design Team: Huang Congyi, Liu Zhirui, Liu Chang, Zhao Xue, Li Zhite, Wu Nidan, Chen Jian, Hao Tong
Lead Designer: Lu Zhigang
Collaborators: Jiangsu Hezhu Architectural Design Co., Ltd.; Nantong Sixth Construction (Construction Contractor)
Client: Education Bureau of Liangxi District, Wuxi City
Location: Wuxi, China
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