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Architects: SUIADR SML Design Studio
- Area: 2527 m²
- Year: 2022
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Photographs:ACF
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Lead Architects: Zhenyuan Yang, Jianhua Yu
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Architectural Design: Jianhua Yu, Jinyan Chen
Text description provided by the architects. In this 100-school renovation activity, we are responsible for the design of the project Jiuxiangling Kindergarten, which is located in Xili Primary School in Jiuxiangling Village, Nanshan District, Shenzhen. Jiuxiangling Kindergarten was rebuilt from an old factory in the gap between the urban Village and Xili Primary School. It was built in the 1990s. Due to its relatively distant construction period, it is not close to the municipal road and is surrounded by factory buildings and residential buildings in the urban village. The kindergarten consists of a 3-story framed teaching building and a 2-story brick-concrete office building. The building in the park is 30 years old, and the structural appraisal report shows that there are a certain degree of safety problems, the water and electricity pipe network, fire protection system, and air conditioning are also very old, the exterior wall is falling off, the bungalow on the south side of the two buildings is stacked with a lot of teaching aids and sundries, the public space of the whole kindergarten is very small, and the children can not get the place for open outdoor activities.
The corridor on the second floor is less than 1 meter wide and can only accommodate one adult to pass through, which does not meet the evacuation requirements and causes inconvenience to the food in the park, and the 2-meter-high fence also closes the view of young children. There is no toilet in some classrooms and the toilets are not divided into men and women, children need to be mixed with men and women in a series of classes, and the lighting and ventilation sanitary conditions are poor, and the hardware facilities of the whole kindergarten are at the middle and lower level, which needs to be improved urgently.
Jiuxiangling Kindergarten was founded in 2002, and after more than ten years of development, it was officially transformed into a public kindergarten in 2020. Through the opportunity of replacing 100 schools, Jiuxiangling Kindergarten was able to repair the infrastructure, activate the inefficient space, beautify the spatial image, and usher in a vibrant "new" campus for teachers and students. In the renovation design, in addition to the safety improvement, space improvement, reinforcement of the old structure, and functional renewal, we take into account the main features of Jiuxiangling Kindergarten the arcade design between the frame columns, and the second is the mosaic façade that was generally popular at that time, which is also the most common material in Shenzhen urban villages, we want to retain these two characteristics, because children's familiarity with the environment is a very important sensory factor to establish a sense of security in the place, we hope to retain the unique façade elements and place memory of Jiuxiangling Kindergarten, After returning to school during the summer vacation, the children can see the great changes in the campus they were familiar with, and at the same time, they can have a sense of familiarity and security with the school.
In terms of transformation strategy, we learned from the Victorian buildings in London. In this period, after the Industrial Revolution, architects tried to combine the new steel structure with the old brick and stone for new construction. This new architectural form generated by interpreting the old buildings with new materials is exactly what Jiuxiangling Kindergarten fits. We wanted to create a building with a sense of history and a sense of humanity, so we adopted a steel frame system to create a new space.
By using the steel structure, the corridor with a net width of 1 meter was widened to 2.4 meters by overhanging it outwards, thus making the corridor 1.8 meters wide. Transforming the original corridor into a classroom, not only expands the original teaching space but also improves the problem that the corridor does not meet the fire evacuation requirements. The cantilevered corridor does not occupy the activity space of the first floor at all, and the skeleton serves as the structural basis for the new function while strengthening the old structure. We reclassified the living unit and incorporated the original corridor into the interior of the living unit. The corridor was widened with a steel structure. And retain the original arch elements as part of the new living unit.
We re-divided the living units and incorporated the original corridors into the living units, which were widened with a steel structure. and retain the original arched elements as part of the new living unit. As for the release of the site, we took into account the low frequency of use of the warehouse on the first floor. In order to provide the kindergarten with sufficient activity space to expand the original activity area, we demolished the first floor of the workshop on the south side and moved the space to the roof to make an overhead ceiling. In the future, the roof can be used as a temporary space for teaching AIDS storage, rooftop farms, and other functions. Through the method of space movement, more ground space is released, and the children have more places for running and playing on the ground.
We raised the original overhead floors to improve lighting, and at the same time, added steel staircases to the core of the two buildings, broadened the activity space, and stimulated the vitality and spirit of the existing space. The rooftop covering platform can be used for children on the 2nd and 3rd floors to carry out rooftop activities such as planting and sports. Through this design method, we can create a space for children to stimulate curiosity and create a better environment for growth.
The Jiuxiangling Kindergarten project was successfully completed under the adverse conditions of a short construction period, difficult transformation, and two rounds of epidemic closure and control, through the unremitting efforts of SUIADR, Construction agent Vanke, and Kingon Decoration Engineering. Thanks to the organizer, the government department planning, and the active assistance of the park, the design can be successfully implemented under strict organization. At the beginning of the semester, Jiuxiangling Kindergarten will welcome the arrival of children with a new look. Finally, I hope teachers and children can enjoy the new campus!
