SUZHOU SCHOOL
BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists
ARCHITECTS
BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists
COLLABORATOR
Qingdao Times Architectural Design Co., Ltd
ARCHITECT IN CHARGE
James Brearley, Fang Qun, Jiang Han, ,Lin Donghui, Richard Tam, Olga Mladenovic, Nicky Chang, Mao Jie, Zhou Yinying, Chen Lei
PROGRAM
School facilities for 1800 students / dormitories for 900 students + staff
CATEGORY
Schools, dorms
LOCATION
Suzhou, china
PROJECT YEAR
2009
Text description provided by architect.
This state school is situated within the park belt of the new Suzhou Hi-tech district. It is split into two halves to allow continuity of the park. To the west is the boarding facility for 900 students and staff. To the east are teaching facilities including library, sports hall, and administration building.
Each of the two parts has a central space connecting to the mountain park: one a triangular view corridor the other a rectilinear space. Both are lined by rows of large crowned trees.
These spaces are charged by both nature and the institution. They provide a space capable of embodying and expressing the institution of human collectivity.
To counter the relentless pressure of the Chinese school on students, the design seeks to provide a range of engaging spaces, and intimate places. These include the re-established creek, the bridge, the poetic water towers, the radio room folly, a myriad of meeting pavilions along the elevated corridors, and a series of courtyards between buildings.
