Boxes and Yards

Primary School for INCLUSIVE ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE

As the first school building in Beijing built in accordance with Passive House Standards, this project showcases the public school in China designed for Learning Anywhere Anytime, which breaks through the finger plan and cell plus bell classroom layout in a traditional school. The designers think out of the box regarding the space planning and building imagery of schools, and turn this school with a history of a hundred years into a School of 21st Century.

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Inclusive Architectural Practice Boxes and Yards

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Inclusive Architectural Practice Primary School

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Boxes and Yards Primary School Press Releases

Discover our press releases for Boxes and Yards available in the following languages: English.

Boxes and Yards Primary School Media Articles

Leverage our ready-to-publish articles on Boxes and Yards, offered in a range of languages: English, Korean, Indonesian, Japanese, Russian, German, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Italian, Turkish and Arabic (Standard).

Unique Properties

A Story of Boxes and Yards showcases the first public school in China designed for Learning Anywhere Anytime, which breaks through the finger plan and cell plus bell classroom layout in a traditional school. It is also the first school building in Beijing built in accordance with Passive House Standards. Despite of tight budget, with a multi-dimensional, multi-center system of learning communities, this school with a history of a hundred years has turned into a School of 21st Century.

Tags

Education, Public school, Passive House, Learner-centered, Eco-friendly

Production Technology

Although the wall finish is mostly latex paint due to tight budget, the building is dynamic and playful with rotated massing and spinning color blocks on walls and floors. The interior polygonal spaces, named as Hub of Intelligence, replacing corridors, serve as Lifestyle Center, Student Center, Makerspace, Cybercafe and other multipurpose learning centers for lectures, demonstrations, exhibitions, performances, and project-based learning, achieving Learning Anywhere, Anytime.

Design Challenge

The challenge came from the conflict of the tight budget and strict building code restrictions against the high expectation on transforming the school with a history of over 100 years to a genuine learner-centered School of the 21st Century. The design team have successfully chosen the most cost-effective, environmental friendly and low-maintenance materials and methods to turn the design intent to the best reality.

Project Duration

The Story of Boxes and Yards, with another name, Huang Cheng Gen Primary School Changping Campus, is located in Changping District of Beijing, China. The project construction was completed in 2019.

Operation Flow

The design team believes that design is an effective tool to make changes in education and future. Education philosophies such as multiple Intelligences by the famous educator Howard Gardener, Education as growth by John Dewey, and the best practice of small learning communities are well embedded in design. The school educators also embrace these concepts and complemented the work of designers with their visions and practice in education.

Research

The design team have fully implemented the methodology of learning communities to create a school for Learning Anywhere Anytime with a multi-dimensional and multi-center space system. Throughout the design process, the architectural concept was firmly rooted in the idea of education, and spatial layout was a priority over artificial forms. The design team was successful in creating a learning community that is highly versatile in its transparency, openness, interactivity and adaptability.

Inspiration

The learning community centered with a Grade Lounge constitutes the basic unit of space layout and provides a sense of home base, forming a series of boxes together with the library, gymnasium, canteen and other learning facilities. Triangular courtyards are created in between the rotated boxes, introducing ample natural light and ventilation inside. This generative design process, called as a Story of Boxes and Yards, has greatly enhanced openness and interactivity of learning spaces.

Image Credits

Zhi Xia

Project Overview

Boxes and Yards Primary School has been a Iron winner in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design award category in the year 2020 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.

Iron Recognition

Inclusive Architectural Practice was recognized with the coveted Iron A' Design Award in 2021, a testament to excellence of their work Boxes and Yards Primary School.

Inclusive Architectural Practice Press Releases

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Revolutionizing Education: The Story of Boxes and Yards

Inclusive Architectural Practice Unveils Innovative Learner-Centered Primary School

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