The Chinese garden element in the courtyard communicating with the Christmas tree in the lobby, December 2021
Creating a Great School Campus
When VIRTUARCH started its assignment, the Developer had already commissioned an architecture office to develop the project. However, it could not fulfill the requirements of both functionality and student experience and was forecasted to overrun the budget significantly. Therefore, VIRTUARCH started the process of clarifying the user requirements, optimizing layouts and transforming the building into a great learning landscape for the students of DULWICH in Zhuhai. Facades were harmonized with the building’s functions, courtyards, terraces and voids were introduced to connect inside and outside spaces as well as the different floors.
Blending Cultures and Creating Multi-dimensional Spaces
The design of the campus is inspired by local Lingnan elements and combined them with Dulwich’s red brick walls to create a cultural connection with the English heritage of Dulwich. VIRTUARCH arranges and combines ancient and natural materials with modern materials and techniques, giving the space has a strong cultural imprint and a humanistic approach.
In a typical VIRTUARCH approach, the building is designed to provide the students with the best possible learning environment, while giving a multitude of experiences and connections between the different functions. Open stairs connect the different floors, indoor and outdoor areas are treated as a continuous space, and students shall experience their building as a cooperative learning environment preparing them for the work environment of the future.