International architecture firm 10 Design (part of Egis Group) has won the competition to design an innovative school and educational hub for 1,000 elementary school students in the Qiangjian New City development of Hangzhou, China. With an emphasis on openness, vitality, and sustainability, the “Grassland Village” concept breaks from traditional primary school layouts, which typically feature singular institutional buildings.
Totaling an impressive 74,000 square meters in area, the project maximizes its waterfront site with an undulating green deck that floats like an oasis within the dense urban fabric of Hangzhou. The ergonomically designed deck ties functional clusters together, providing ample green outdoor space to facilitate interaction between landscape, teachers, and students.
The masterplan includes 48 teaching units, with specialized facilities for science, art, PE, IT, and performance art. Three teaching blocks are located away from the motorway, with the blocks divided by grade/age level, thus fostering communication and collective learning for students of a similar age.
Below the green deck are shared facilities such as the library, canteen, and activity rooms that are located along the east-west main street, which runs through the campus and acts as a central public space. Skylight atriums draw sunlight into the specialized classrooms while creating a series of intimate courtyards and breakout spaces.
The school doubles as an accessible and child-friendly space for the broader community. In particular, the scheme will include a publicly accessible 800-seat performance theatre in the northwest corner of the site.
Overall, the development aims to maximize daylight, natural ventilation, and green areas, which is reflected in the classroom design and orientation. This approach is enhanced with an earthy material palette with natural textures selected for the façade to reflect a safe, healthy campus in nature.
The project was led by Design Principal Peby Pratama, who says in a statement: “Our vision is to create a learning environment that facilitates environmental education and social interaction for our future generations. The design, emphasizing openness, vitality, and sustainability, is an organic response as well as a celebration of nature in the new city of Hangzhou.”
