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This is an unexpected project growing from a commission of small commercial boxes on a new park into that of a multiple-system urban infrastructure combining primary school, urban parking and public greenery, integrated both horizontally and vertically, spatially and socially. The concept is evolved fully during the process, achieved only through close interactions between the client, the local government and the architect. Three steps for developing1) Ask for combining the underground parking with the greenery 2) Suggest to reorganize the land uses. 3) Design a multiple-level boundary to accommodate new classrooms and build connections between public urban facilities.
The dynamic was achieved from turning all individual projects, including those commercial boxes, the greenery, the underground parking and the nearby primary school, into an integrated one. The parking helps to solve the traffic jams during the off-school peak time. The courtyards illuminate the parking and underground facilities, resulting in a vertical public greenery. The new entrances for the school on the boundary and the cantilevered classrooms bring in vitality to the urban public space, while the students can enjoy the greenery. In this way, this narrow greenery is no longer a visual connection, but spatially and socially more valuable in the whole public infrastructure system.
Intelligent land use and integrated spatial design lead to sustainability and eco-compatibility. 24 classrooms are cantilevered above the former emergency road and the greenery with steel structure, sharing the existed staircases, fully natural illuminated and ventilated. The facade incorporates vertical greenery and aluminum panels. The public greenery and parking improve the environmental quality for the school. Through courtyards, stairs and ramps, the garage, park, urban square and the school entrances integrate into a multiple-functional and vertical infrastructure with natural illumination and ventilation, as well as urban-natural interacted area.
Locality is an interactive process between architectural design and urban governance, this is especially valuable for Chinese urbanism nowadays. The strength for this project comes from two aspects: 1) the integrative design for all facilities, building the formerly separated projects of school, garage, park and small commercial into a comprehensive urban infrastructure, mutually benefiting each other, optimizing the urban resources and promoting the environmental quality. 2) the close communication between the local government and the architect has guaranteed the final result. Regulation has been updated for a better design and a more positive urban solution. The vitality and the sustainability result from the multiple functions and the spatial and material diversity.
This project is extremely positive both in result and process, showcasing how the architect has an insight to smartly use all urban resources and design integrative space for economic, social and environmental goodness, as well as how refined urban governance could facilitate the innovative design for the city.
Atelier Archmixing is a pioneering Chinese architectural studio established in Shanghai in 2009. With all partners domestically educated and have practiced in China almost three decades, their flexible design strategies come from deep understanding of Chinese contemporary urban and rural context. Through integrating practice with urban research, spatial experiment and theoretical reflection, Archmixing finds innovation from refreshing the program, reorganizing all resources and applying accurate forms and technologies. Their work and research have been exhibited in London, Venice, Boston, Paris, Shenzhen etc., and featured in AD, ARQ, A+U, AJ, T+A, etc. Awards include Best UA Brick Building, Asian Architects Association Golden medal etc.
