Schools

The project is organized around a central corridor which distributes all the spaces and folds with the building, thus constructing “a strong form” which organizes the interior and exterior spaces while adapting to the site.
The building has two levels. The ground floor is dedicated to large premises and includes all the secondary activities of the college (gymnasium, learning resources center, school life, catering, etc.). The first floor is made up of 10 general education rooms, technical teaching rooms, as well as spaces dedicated to teaching teams.
Concrete, oak and glass constitute the main materials of the envelope, and strongly qualify the project by providing durability, durability, resistance, with simple and inexpensive maintenance.

The middle school, built in 1966 and now renamed after Josephine Baker, just underwent a radical transformation. Replacing an aging building on the same site, the entirely new building provides students and teachers with greatly enriched surroundings and opens a new chapter in the school’s history. The new construction also has the capacity to receive 600 students and possesses an auditorium and a gymnasium.

The Challenge. The density of cities today is much higher than it used to be and is still increasing. What are the main differences between a primary school in a high-density environment and one in a low-density environment in the past? As density increases, the height of the school building inevitably increases, which means the opportunities for students to go down to the outdoor space on the ground level are correspondingly reduced. Outdoor activities are critical to the development of children, and we focused on solving this problem when designing the school building.

One in five children have learning differences. Yet most schools are not designed with neurodiversity in mind, which hinders learning for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia. The design of the Lower School campus of Westmark School—which supports students with language-based learning differences—creates an inclusive, welcoming, and nature-infused environment, featuring mass timber and other natural materials. Gathered around a grand California Sycamore tree and designed to be net zero, the project aligns the architectural vision to the highly specialized education and individualized instructional model of Westmark School.

Soochow University Gaoyou Experimental School is a nine-year compulsory school comprising an 8-track, 48-class elementary school and a 15-track, 45-class middle school. The campus is divided into three clear sections, from south to north: the public library connected by a reading gallery, the primary and secondary school buildings, and the open public teaching area. As the first interface of the campus to the city, we integrate the multi-functional cafeteria, theater, wind and rain playground, swimming pool and other cultural and sports facilities through the continuous large roof, and its complete architectural form forms a clear urban interface in this area. At the same time, we try to make the school communicate with the society in an open posture through the design of an ambiguous boundary space.

A square with a triangular top hat sure does make a home. A similar approach has been taken in sketching this school. Built like a toy house, the massing has been designed with certain innocence in its rather rudimentary shapes and geometries. Entire forms of playful construction in projected cantilevers with recessed windows make the elevation of the school block.