BIBA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RENOVATION
BEIJING KEYSTONE ACADEMY
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
The renovation of the basement level at Beijing Keystone Academy transforms an underutilized space into a comprehensive Performing Arts Center designed to support a full spectrum of educational and creative activities. The program integrates a main hall (also functioning as the theater foyer), a secondary hall, a drama studio, two music studios, a film studio, fourteen individual instrument practice rooms, a recording studio, and a dressing room. The design is guided by principles of spatial clarity, acoustic precision, and operational flexibility, ensuring that the environment effectively supports teaching, rehearsal, performance, and daily interaction.
LOCATION Beijing, China
AREA 2727 m²
STATUS Completed
CLIENT Beijing Keystone Academy
YEAR 2024
PROGRAMS Educational, Interior Renovation
The main hall acts as both the principal reception area and the pre-function space for the theater. Its spatial configuration combines continuous perimeter seating with a central lounge arrangement, creating varied conditions for gathering, discussion, and informal study. The design emphasizes fluid circulation and adaptability, allowing the space to transition seamlessly between casual use and performance-related events.
Architecturally, the project introduces a series of alternating trapezoidal wall forms that break the visual monotony typical of subterranean environments. These geometric modulations generate rhythm and depth while optimizing sound reflection to prevent acoustic standing waves. The formal language subtly references the school’s “Keystone” emblem—an identity element that anchors the visual narrative of the space. Material selections focus on surfaces with balanced reflective and absorptive properties to accommodate both public and rehearsal functions, achieving acoustic integrity without compromising aesthetic cohesion.
Ceiling interventions integrate localized height variations and concealed structural coordination to maximize headroom and enhance acoustic comfort. The resulting spatial character is open, balanced, and perceptually elevated, countering the constraints of a low basement structure.
The renovation achieves equilibrium among functional organization, acoustic control, safety, and brand expression. Beyond its technical precision, the new Performing Arts Center establishes an environment that is professional yet inviting—capable of supporting Keystone Academy’s curriculum while hosting a range of educational and performance events. It represents a model of adaptive reuse within educational architecture, where form, identity, and performance converge into a coherent and enduring spatial system.
BEIJING KEYSTONE ACADEMY
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
The renovation of the basement level at Beijing Keystone Academy transforms an underutilized space into a comprehensive Performing Arts Center designed to support a full spectrum of educational and creative activities. The program integrates a main hall (also functioning as the theater foyer), a secondary hall, a drama studio, two music studios, a film studio, fourteen individual instrument practice rooms, a recording studio, and a dressing room. The design is guided by principles of spatial clarity, acoustic precision, and operational flexibility, ensuring that the environment effectively supports teaching, rehearsal, performance, and daily interaction.
LOCATION Beijing, China
AREA 2727 m²
STATUS Completed
CLIENT Beijing Keystone Academy
YEAR 2024
PROGRAMS Educational, Interior Renovation
CHIEF DESIGNER
Xiaoyi Ma
DESIGN TEAM
Jing Zhu, Jiajia Wang, Shi Fu, Weihui Yan