Western Academy of Beijing

Narratives

Architect Narrative

This is a six hundred international school for early childhood to 8th grade students with an inquiry-based curriculum focusing on information technology, multi-media and the performing arts. The design embraces China’s heritage and the school’s high educational standards by employing design choices that facilitate learning and community interaction and are attentive to color, children’s scale, natural lighting and climate.

In a participatory design process, a linear concept solution was selected with a two-level circulation along a north-south spine. Classroom pods are arranged along the east side of the “street” with courtyards between and support spaces to the west. The Media Center is the heart of the building, accessible from both “street” levels. A two-story Cafeteria (Atrium) is the piazza and exits to a dining courtyard. The Atrium serves as the lobby for a 400-seat flexible Theatre, which opens to a 400-seat amphitheatre and a Gymnasium.

Color-coded concrete shear walls have concrete slabs on the support spans and trusses on the long spans. Aluminum sun control louvers are on the east, south and west.

The principles of Feng Shui are an important factor in the design. The number of openings on the southern exposure is maximized for sunshine in the colder months. For the warmer months, there is solar protection consisting of solar vacuum tubes for hot water heating and/or photo-voltaic cells for producing electricity directly from the sun. All but six of the classrooms receive south or east sunlight during the cold months except for the art classrooms that functionally desire north light. The north-facing classrooms on the second floor have south facing clerestory windows.

Upon entry, the Chinese gardens and curved roof forms would maintain a Chinese character within the context of a more contemporary, international ambience. The curved roofs also have the functional benefit in the interiors of better sound distribution. The use cheerful primary colors is also inspired by the host country’s culture and as mitigation of the dreary gray winters.