Futian Campus, designed by reMIX studio, stands out from traditional campuses by integrating students with the urban environment. Its massing structure, open corridors, and public programs encourage students to actively observe the city.
Futian High School Campus was designed as a public boarding school that challenges the traditional typology of public schools in China in many ways. Unlike most campuses that are closed to the outside and located in secluded areas, the Futian Campus was designed as a community center that is active on weekends and holidays. It has an innovative program scheme and transparent interface that establishes a relationship with the road, and it opens its sports and cultural areas to the neighborhood.
Design Phases
During the design phase, the school was planned to resemble a “city within a city” in this densely populated area. The layout was carefully designed to create separate and varied spaces between different levels. The aim was to create a smooth transition between the outdoor landscape and the school building and to form different connections and intermediate areas between enclosed and open spaces. The taller buildings, such as the “learning towers” and dormitories, are located on the eastern and southern sides of the site. By arranging the buildings to gradually decrease in height towards the park, the design integrates the campus with the surrounding urban area without creating visual interruptions.
Unlike traditional Chinese schools, the Futian Campus has an extroverted design. It features open corridors that offer views of Futian Central Park, allowing students to stay connected to the surrounding environment. A key design element is the “loop,” which breaks the high-rise buildings into two halves and connects them with bridges. This reduces the need for vertical circulation, making it easier for students to move between different areas of the campus.
However, the “loop” is not just a circulation system; its sole motivation cannot be explained as effective building design. In fact, the “loop” creates a three-dimensional combination of social areas (seating areas, open classrooms, amphitheaters, roof gardens) that contain diversity, increase students’ sense of curiosity, and enable random activities and shopping.
Just like the interesting and undesigned relationships experienced in the city. In other words, the “loop” can be defined as a public belt that snakes around the campus, prioritizes individuals gaining various experiences instead of social separation, and shapes campus life.
Project Info
Architects: reMIX studio
Area: 120774 sqm
Year: 2023
Landscape Design Development: PIO Landscape
Interior Design Development: SD Design
Lighting Consultant: Ning Field Lighting Design Corp. Ltd.
Partners In Charge: Chen Chen, Nicola Saladino, Shoutuo Lyu, Federico Ruberto
Project Architect: Jiajia Zhang
Design Team: Muzhi Chen, Jintong Duan, Yiren Wang, Yangyang Liu, Bingling Xu, Si Chen, Yuxuan Chen, Lu Tan (competition) Alexandre Braleret, Yiren Wang, Marco Navarro, Peng Nie, Javier Pelaez, Nuofan Xu, Si Chen, Jiahong Huang, Ruiting Wang, Jieqi Yao (design development)
Photographs: Kangyu Hu, Chao Zhang
