Nanhai Primary School / Chen Donghua Architects

The gap of time and spaceThis is a renovation project that uses the time gap of summer vacation to fill in the space gap around the campus. It requires the whole process to be extremely fast, flexible, effective while all things come to be highly reasonable and operational. The orthogonal spatial structure inside the Nanhai Primary School collides with the polygonal street interface outside, which produces many "remaining spaces". Based on this spatial structure, we introduce the entrance corridor, parking shed, folding courtyard & pavilion, fence renovation, etc. to reconnect and activate those "remaining spaces". This renovation not only meets the functional requirements, but also enriches the original spatial structure. In addition, due to the school's urgent need for usable area, we added different sheds and mezzanine spaces at different levels, including rooftop multi-functional shed, roof gardens, reading sheds, etc., to further expand the possibility of space in the vertical direction. These new sheds on the ground or on the roof are semi-outdoor structures that adapt with the subtropical climate and the daily use, and thus create the shadow that accommodate the everyday life without air-conditioner. At the same time, this type of structure also reduces the approval process for formal construction applications. Other renovations include corridors, toilets, facade renovations, etc. We hope to carry out an integrated renovation for Nanhai Primary School at all scales and levels.