BIBA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RENOVATION
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF
BEIJING EXPANSION
A proactive architectural regeneration approach targeting at de-centralization, “Montage of Learning Communities” treats each small learning community within International School of Beijing as an “image” independent and distinctive from one another and creates a refreshing montage of spaces within the existing architectural framework, superseding the over-unified, rigid “institution building” with a versatile, dynamic “education architecture”. The pilot project consists of five highly open and flexible learning communities, each presented in different colors and placemaking adaptable to student ages and learning programs, aiming at motivating this leading school to evolve to the cutting edge of learning environment.
LOCATION Beijing, China
AREA 16636 m²
STATUS Completed
CLIENT International School of Beiijing
YEAR 2020
PROGRAMS Educational, Theater, Architecture, Interior Design
ES Arts Center is expressly designed for young artists and performers, the center of which is a 400-seat multifunctional theater, custom-designed to small human scale and elementary school requirements of performance, assemblies and rehearsals. With theater mechanics, it can be switched into three modes including a proscenium theater, a vineyard theater and an open hall.
ES Theater, designed to the highest building acoustical standards, has become an academic performing arts venue. The colorful theater pre-function hall can also be used for exhibition and gatherings, and providing waiting space for parents to pick up their children, making it a natural “soul” space for ES community.
ES Library is designed as a WOW space to attract young readers and featured with the terraces remodeled from an existing stair, expressing the spiritual connotation of Chinese literati, “searching for a soulmate among high mountains and flowing water”.
ES Library is filled with steps, cushions, soft chairs, benches and “caves” favored by young children. The atrium functions as a lecture hall for library seminars and book-signing events. An existing narrow passage has been transformed into a paradise for individual reading and quiet times.
A centralized design and art facility, MS/HS Design Center is designed for integrated learning in science, technology, engineering, art and math, and showcasing design and entrepreneurship that challenge students to create prototypes and iterate ideas. Highly open and inspiring, the Center is designed around the Collaborative Space which is practically a super workshop with flexibility to divide to 5 enclosed or semi-closed studios in various sizes, surrounded by variety of “resource” rooms, to facilitate trans-disciplinary and project-based learning programs.
Located at the main entrance of Design Center, the Gallery not only serves as a fluid transition from the school main corridor to the Design Center, but also integrates the common spaces of Design Center and Performing Arts Center. Chic and elegant, this “Gallery of Tomorrow” turns out to be the most preferred space for social gatherings.
CHIEF DESIGNER
Xiaoyi Ma
DESIGN TEAM
Jiajia Wang, Pengfei Chen, Yan Xia, Chaoyi Meng, Xuejiao Zhou, Yang Ming, Weihui Yan, Renzheng Zhu, Yajuan Li, Yue Zhao, Jing Wang, Xuan Zhang, Xiaoang Li, Jing Zhu, Haining Gu, Jingru Zhang, Min Shao
CREDITS
Zhi Xia (Photographer)