Status : Completed
Location : Shenzhen, China
Year : 2016-2019
Architect : Renzo Piano Building Workshop - Mark, Olaf, Simone, Paolo, Louis, Mara, Lucas, Sara & Kimi Consultants : Arup, Studio Giorgetta, Alvisi Kirimoto, CCDI, GOA, Permasteelisa
Project Role : Architect. Beginning in early design phases my was specific focus on the design, detailing & documentation of facade systems, performance spaces (music halls, theatres etc), stair design & custom interior glazing system design. This was in tandem with the typical design process at RPBW which included a constant production of design drawings, models, hand sketches etc in which we all collaborated.
Participated in design through construction including substantial on site presence consisting in total of approximately 1/2 the duration of construction. The building was substantially completed from foundation in just over a year with the site running at capacity 24 hours a day for much of that time. The speed of construction required responsibilities to encompass coordination & in-field solutions of all trades in real time in addition to conflict resolutions, visual mockup reviews, submittals etc.
This building represents the first Whittle School & Studios project in China and will be part of a system of 30 WSS campuses in the world’s leading cities. The Whittle School & Studios has been designed to be a place for 2,200 students to learn and grow. The 58,000 sqm school is organised into two buildings. The main building is 32m high with a footprint of 70m by 70m and is organized on ten floors, eight above ground and two below. The 18m-high central volume levitates 6m above grade and its mass is broken up into eight blocks. The ground and three upper floors are set back to emphasize the volume of the middle four levels. A smaller three-storey building sits just West, with a landscaped playground in front.
At the core of the design is the view that a school should be like an educational village. The school’s size and scale are comparable to that of a medieval hilltop Italian town made of singular buildings interacting with each other. As the medieval layout has a piazza for its residents to gather and meet, the programmatic blocks of the school are gathered around a central node of activities for the students’ social life.
Conceptually the design of the WSS has been inspired by the simplicity, openness, and efficiency of a factory. Visually, the spaces have an industrial language with exposed services and structure. The whole building will be an interactive and nurturing space for future generations and will play a role in the holistic educational experience.
