St. Bees School Dongguan

LCompleted / BuiltBuilding Dongguan, 2020

International learning environment

Encompassing more than four hundred years of history in England, St Bees School’s new school branch in China is located at the heart of Dongguan City. St Bees School Dongguan Centre is an international school that welcomes high school students to prepare for A-level examination, which includes a main campus building and a dormitory. 

Former shoe factory to modern school

The site was originally a shoe factory with a dormitory for workers. The design revitalised the existing factory structures into a modern learning environment, preserving the buildings’ history. In the main building, a new red brick brise soleil is added to the exterior of the old concrete facade to deflect sunlight and mitigate solar heat gains. It takes reference to the original campus in England of its famous red brick wall, using similar local material to mimic the british red sandstone. The main entrance is a high ceiling open area, with a welcoming cylindrical library at the center connected to the school assembly hall and a marketing room. 

Experience a mix of chinese and western culture

The design aims to instil western culture in a chinese context, to provide a globalised environment.  For example, the common room is a place for students to communicate and make friends. Equipped with table football and coaches, this setting encourages social interaction between students, which is a culture from the west to greet peers in a relaxing atmosphere. 

British arches are integrated to the third floor learning resource center (LRC)  area, to challenge the existing structure with a taste of western architectural style. Books shelves are also designed in round shapes to soften the hard edges.

Tradition and modernity  

The campus is mainly occupied by wood furnitures, with modern technology incorporated. Electric whiteboards can be found in classrooms, to adjust to modern educational needs. Sound absorbing panels are installed throughout the ceiling of the assembly hall and study rooms to get the optimal acoustics. There is also transparency between facilities such as the art room to the LRC area, where teachers can easily look for students from inside outside.

Traditional British architecture utilises natural light a lot, therefore this campus also has a indoor light system designed to balance natural and artificial lighting. With ample natural light in daytime, it reduces dependence on artificial electrical lighting. Transparent light films are installed throughout the ceiling of the study room, to provide abundant light for students to study. In the Lab there is a playful arrangement of LED light pattern, as well as in the Dormitory Canteen, where light is laid on the triangular beams to form a dynamic pattern.

Space design for students’ preference

Formal and Informal learning spaces are scattered in the building to cater for students’ own preference.  For instance, a common room can be used for informal group discussion, while the tables on the third floor LRC area provide a more quiet atmosphere for study , using mattresses to absorb noise. The campus is a decent learning space for our future generations.

 

國際級學習環境

擁有超過四百年的歷史,英國聖比斯公學在中國的新分支設於東莞市的市中心。聖比斯公學東莞中心是一所國際學校,為高中生準備A Level 考試課程,其中包括主校舍和宿舍。

從前製鞋廠到現代學校

該地方最初是一家製鞋廠,設有工人宿舍。設計將現有工廠結構改建成現代化的學習環境,從而保留了建築物的歷史。在主教學樓中,新的紅磚遮陽板被添加到舊混凝土外牆的外,偏轉陽光並減少太陽熱能的吸收。它引用了在英國聖比斯公學著名的紅磚牆,並使用類似的中國材料模仿了英國的紅砂岩。主入口是挑高的天花板開放區域,中央有一個圓柱圖書館,與學校禮堂和營銷室相連。

體驗中西合壁的文化

設計旨在注入西方文化於中國背景,以提供全球化的環境。例如,公用休息室是學生交流和結識朋友的地方。配備桌上足球和沙發等設施,鼓勵學生之間的社交互動。這是一種西方文化,志在輕鬆的氛圍中與同學們互相認識。

三樓學習資源中心區域,加入英國拱門的西方建築風格挑戰現有結構。書架還設計成圓形,以柔化空間。

傳統與現代

校園主要是木製家具,並結合了現代技術。教室中可以找到電子白板,以適應現代教育需求。吸音板安裝在整個禮堂和書房的天花板上,以獲得最佳的聲學效果。諸如學習資源中心區域的藝術室之類的設施之間也具有透明性,教師可以在其中輕鬆地從內部尋找學生。

英國傳統建築大量利用自然光,因此該校區還設有旨在平衡自然光和人造光的室內照明系統。白天有充足的自然光,可以減少對人工照明的依賴。自習室的整個天花板上都安裝了透光膜,以提供充足的光線供學生學習。在實驗室中,有一個有趣的LED燈光圖案佈置,在宿舍食堂中,燈光被放置在三角光束上以形成動態圖案。

空間設計滿足學生的喜好

正式和非正式的學習空間散佈在大樓內,以滿足學生自己的喜好。例如,可以使用公用休息室進行小組討論,而三樓區域的學習資源中心桌子則提供了一個更安靜的學習氛圍,使用地墊吸收噪音。校園為我們的後代提供了一個體面的學習空間。

Collaborators

St. Bees Dongguan