Flow Garden: Transforming a Basketball Arena into an Innovative Educational Space

A Garden-inspired Design for Junyi Middle School's International Department

The Flow Garden design takes inspiration from the principles of classical gardens, incorporating elements such as opposite scenery and obstacle scenery to create a rich and zigzag spatial structure. The result is a series of playful rooms arranged in a carefully considered density and order. These rooms serve as multifunctional classrooms and shared spaces, offering a unique and engaging learning experience for students.

The spatial structure of Flow Garden is reminiscent of a garden, with its combination of light, natural landscape, and staggered corridors and platforms. This dynamic "sightseeing garden" provides students with a stimulating environment that encourages exploration and interaction.

The exterior facade of the building is composed of weathering steel panels, U-shaped glass, and a glass curtain wall. These materials create three levels of transparency, ranging from opaque to translucent to transparent. Bamboo trees are inserted into the facade, adding a playful and vibrant touch. The contrast between the rigid weathering steel panels and the elegant U-shaped glass reflects the exchange of ideas and cultures between the East and the West.

Flow Garden spans an area of 2,942 square meters and was completed at a cost of approximately 8 million RMB. As a middle school, it provides a unique and innovative learning environment for students, fostering creativity and collaboration.

The design team, led by architect Chen Ximin, included Liu Yan and Jiang Bowen. Their collective vision and expertise brought Flow Garden to life, creating a space that seamlessly integrates the principles of a garden with the requirements of a modern educational facility.

Flow Garden is more than just a building; it is an interactive space that engages students both physically and mentally. The staggered arrangement, folded layout, and facade with varying degrees of transparency create a playful and immersive learning environment. Students experience the "sightseeing garden" subconsciously, fostering a sense of curiosity and exploration.

The design and construction of Flow Garden took place between April 2018 and September 2019 in Beijing. Throughout the process, the design team conducted extensive research to ensure that the space achieved its goal of creating a garden-like atmosphere. By opening windows to the sky and strategically placing classrooms to maximize natural light and ventilation, the team successfully integrated the concept of a garden into the interior space.

Flow Garden faced several challenges during its creation. With limited space of 800 square meters, it was a challenge to transform the study space into a garden-like environment while still accommodating the required number of rooms. Additionally, the contemporary education model necessitated that classrooms remain partially enclosed. To overcome these challenges, the design team incorporated the concept of "flow" into the design, resulting in the creation of Flow Garden.

Flow Garden has been recognized for its innovative design and creative approach. It was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building, and Structure Design category in 2021. This prestigious award honors designs that demonstrate outstanding creativity, technical skill, and a commitment to improving quality of life.