Jiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists

Jiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists

Jiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists - WindowsJiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists - WindowsJiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists - Windows, FacadeJiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists - FacadeJiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists - More Images+ 14

  • Project Team: James Brearley, Luo Huaili, Jianghan, Mao Jie, Lu Jiawei, Zhen Lili. Landscape: Huang Fang, Lu Yinghong, Luo Li, Wang Chenlei, Chen Yanling
  • Collaborators: The Plan & Design Institute of Jiangyin City
  • City: Wuxi
  • Country: China
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Jiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists - Facade
© SHU He

Text description provided by the architects. The most pressing issue facing Chinese primary and secondary education is the unrelenting pressure on students. 7am to 5pm classes six days a week is common. Of course academic achievement is paramount, but we must also ensure our children have the opportunity to enjoy being children.

Jiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists - Facade, Windows
© SHU He

Learning through play, relaxation, and chance encounters with others different to ourselves, also develops essential and worthy skills, knowledge, and creativity in our children.

Jiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists - Image 17 of 19
Section 2

In support of a more balanced approach to work, rest, and play for children, this project places the non-academic activities at its heart. A large area of the site is dedicated to sports, music, dance, theatre, visual art and “other” programs.

Jiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists - Windows, Facade
© SHU He

Student life is encouraged to flow over, through, under, and around this new landscape of rest and play. Windows from the other school programs provide tantalizing views of this new landscape. Linear piazza or a ‘school main street’ provides a shaded informal place linking all students together.

Jiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists - Facade, Windows
© SHU He

Flowing off this ‘school main street’ are four plazas, one for each of the student levels, years 1-3; 4-6; and 7-9. Together with other smaller linear plazas they form a network of informal landscaped spaces, with seating, shade, and most importantly, space for play.

Jiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists - Windows, Facade
© SHU He

The intersections of this network blur and merge to encourage the movement and mixing of different aged students. Yet another extensive network occurs above ground, on balconies, bridges and roofs, again with spaces for informal gathering and play.

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Project location

Address:Yushanwan Garden, Furong Avenue Side Road, Jiangyin, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Jiangyin Primary & Secondary School / BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists" 14 Jul 2014. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/523237/jiangyin-primary-and-secondary-school-brearley-architects-urbanists> ISSN 0719-8884

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