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Campus Renovation Transforms Zhuhai Campus into a Dynamic Public Space

THAD's campus renovation project at Beijing Normal University's Zhuhai campus has successfully revitalized an abandoned area, transforming it into a dynamic public space. The project, completed in November 2019, involved the renovation of two unfinished buildings in the center of the campus, which had been incompatible with the surrounding landscapes for decades. The project aimed to recreate an active public place out of the neglected area while retaining the original features of the site.

Located in a mountainous region, the Zhuhai campus of Beijing Normal University is a beautiful valley university. The project not only renovated the buildings but also activated the surrounding environment, ultimately succeeding in making the entire abandoned area into a vibrant public space.

During the renovation, the structures of the two unfinished buildings were preserved. Light-colored ceramic panels and glass curtain walls were adopted to respond to the climate and landscape features in the south. Roof overhangs and double skins form a sunshade system to improve the indoor environment. The design of windows and exterior landscapes were optimized to create a pleasant indoor and outdoor wind environment with the help of ventilation software simulation.

The project's technical specifications include a building area of 899 square meters. The renovation work was carried out with respect for the existing elements, preserving vegetation on the site to form landscape nodes and converting the original steep slopes along the lakeshore into small plazas of different elevations. Safety risks were also addressed, including the dredging of blocked discharge channels during lakeshore reconstruction to mitigate the impact of typhoons in the region.

One of the significant challenges overcome during the renovation was integrating the buildings and landscape as a whole. Unified materials and modulus were used to achieve this, while the height of the buildings was strictly restricted to maintain the view of the landscape from the lake in the campus center. Additionally, the volume of the buildings on the side of the main campus road was diminished through the treatment of height difference, integrating the buildings into the valley environment with a humble gesture.

The project received the Bronze A' Design Award in the A' Architecture, Building, and Structure Design Award in 2021, recognizing its outstanding and creatively ingenious design that contributes to quality of life improvements.

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