New York-based architecture practice Studio Link-Arc has completed a foreign language school in Shenzhen, featuring large cracked slabs that serve as walls in the center of Shenzhen city, China. 

Named Cuizhu School, which is situated in the center of Shenzhen's historic district, creates a new standard for educational institutions in densely populated subtropical metropolitan areas. 

Classrooms are arranged loosely on sizable public platforms in a terraced massing, extending traditional learning space into a number of covered outside areas. 

Campus embedded in the urban context. Image © Bai Yu

In addition to responding to and extending the surrounding setting, six courtyards are cut out of the massing to provide light and fresh air to every part of the school. 

The city is rewarded with a stunning fifth elevation (the roof plane) and a reintroduction of nature to the campus through a series of roof terraces covered in lush vegetation.

Aerial view. Image © Bai Yu

Site and inspiration

The project site is situated at the crossroads of two main metropolitan thoroughfares and has an unusual shape. In response, the massing builds a robust urban wall on the project's northeast and northwest faces to provide a powerful civic presence. 

In order to create a porous urban condition that breaks down the strong urban massing, existing historical paths on the site are conceptually reworked as courtyards that bring light and air throughout the project. 

The urban mass terraces to the south provide a tiered landscape with a dynamic program pattern, inspired by pictures of old rice paddy.

Southeast aerial view. Image © Tian Fangfang

Form and landscape

The Cuizhu School's design demonstrates a purposeful approach that connects the massing and landscape design to the site and its surroundings both spatially and compositionally. The school's terraced massing descends to the south to provide access to light and air and to foster a friendly interaction with the school's open athletic areas.

In addition to conceptually extending outdoor open spaces to the south and west, the voids in the massing create urban entry spaces to the northwest. 

Terraced Campus. Image © Tian Fangfang

A dynamic terraced form that stretches the landscape from the ground floor to the school's roof is created by connecting the massing to the angled program layout. 

In addition to encouraging exterior programming difference, a dynamic outer landscape offers children and guests an extra degree of complexity.

Everyday Life on Rooftop Garden. Image © Guo Shiyu

Massing and layout

The Cuizhu School's massing, civic space strategy, and program layout are all strategically connected to optimize each other's potential. The program bars are positioned to provide a basic level of clarity. 

Regular classrooms, special classrooms, and offices are set up for clarity and proximity, and they are modified to fit the site's specifics and intended compositional objectives.

East View. Image © Tian Fangfang

Figural cracks are produced by curving the hard edges of the modified program massing. These spaces' floors are raised to create raised courtyards that provide instructors and students with public amenities. 

On top of the terraced massing, a roof garden creates a planned public area for users and a fifth facade that can be seen from surrounding high-rises.

Everyday Life in Courtyards. Image © Tian Fangfang

View from the teaching building towards the surrounding residential buildings. Image © Bai Yu

Zoom in view. Image © Bai Yu

South sportsfield viewpoint. Image © Tian Fangfang

Everyday life in courtyards. Image © Tian Fangfang

Everyday life on campus. Image © Tian Fangfang

Facade shading system. Image © Tian Fangfang

Student activities in gray area. Image © Tian Fangfang

Street viewpoint. Image © Bai Yu

South sportfield viewpoint-Cuizhu Foreign Language School. Image © Bai Yu

Concept model

Multi-layer courtyard diagram

Perspective section

Studio Link-Arc also built a foreign language school in Shenzhen, featuring staggered volumes to create an "urban garden" and challenge to the traditional school typology. 

Project facts

Project name: Cuizhu Foreign Language School

Project Location: Shenzhen, China

Project Area: 44,030m2

Client: Development and Reform Bureau of Luohu

Chief Architects: Yichen Lu

Project Manager: Shiyu Guo

Project Team: Kenneth Namkung, Zeynep Urgr, Simeng Qin, Yu Sun, Qiaoxi Wu, Chuanzhang Li, Furui Sun, Yoko Fujita, Shixuan Sun, Ke Zhao

Architect of Record/Stucture/MEP: Shenzhen Machine Architectural Design Co.

Structural Consultant: WS Engineering Design & Consultants Co.

Landscape Consultant: Studio Link-Arc + Bange Landscape & Architecture Planning Design Co.

Interior Consultant: Studio Link-Arc + Ledao Design Co.

Curtain Wall Consultant: Studio Link-Arc + Huahui Decoration Engineering Co.

Construction Management: Shenzhen Tianjian Shenzhen Tianjian Real Estate Development Company

General Contractor: China Construction Eighth Engineering Division Co.

The top image in the article: South sportfield viewpoint-Cuizhu Foreign Language School. Image © Bai Yu.

All drawings © Studio Link-Arc.

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