International architecture practice 10 Design (part of Egis Group) has won the competition to design a major 74,000 sq m school project within Qianjiang New City of Hangzhou, China.

10 Design envisages an innovative educational hub for 2,000 elementary school students which doubles as an accessible and child-friendly public space for the community. Led by Design Principal Peby Pratama, the “grassland village” concept of the future school breaks away from the traditional primary school layout within a singular institutional building.

The new campus maximises the waterfront site by introducing an undulating green deck at the heart of the design which bridges the urban green corridor in the west to the high-rise residential community in the east. Acting as a floating oasis within the dense urban context of Hangzhou, the ergonomic deck ties the functional clusters together, while providing ample green outdoor space to facilitate the interaction between landscape, teachers and students.

The school masterplan includes 48 teaching units, alongside specialised education facilities for science, art, PE, IT and performance art. The three teaching blocks divided by grade level are placed in the southeast and away from the motorway, encouraging communication and collective learning for students of similar age.

Below the green deck are shared facilities including the library, canteen, activity rooms situated along an east-west main street, which runs through the campus serving as a central public space. Skylight atriums draw sunlight into the specialised classrooms while creating a series of intimate courtyards and
breakout spaces. The masterplan also includes an 800-seat performance theatre in the northwest corner which will be shared with the local community.

An earthy colour palette and natural textures were chosen for the façade to articulate the idea of a safe, healthy campus in nature. Moreover, the development as a whole maximises daylight, natural ventilation and green area which is reflected in the classroom design and orientation. The student dropoff
point is strategically placed within the basement together with the queue-measuring smart system, preventing a build-up of overground traffic.

"Our vision is to create a learning environment that facilitates environmental education and social interaction for our future generations. The design, emphasising openness, vitality and sustainability, is an organic response as well as a celebration of nature in the new city of Hangzhou,” shared Peby.

Qianjiang school is established as a future facing urban centre through its high-standard, low-density education space. Moreover, it will serve as a key international anchor for Hangzhou, complementing its reputation for “paradise on earth” scenery as well as high-tech enterprise cluster driving economic growth.