Boxes and Yards: A School of the 21st Century

Transforming Education with Innovative Design

The design of Boxes and Yards is centered around the concept of learning communities, where the Grade Lounge serves as the heart of each community. This innovative layout, along with the inclusion of the library, gymnasium, canteen, and other learning facilities, creates a series of interconnected boxes. Triangular courtyards between the rotated boxes introduce ample natural light and ventilation, enhancing the openness and interactivity of the learning spaces.

What sets Boxes and Yards apart is its commitment to sustainability. It is the first school building in Beijing built in accordance with Passive House Standards, ensuring energy efficiency and reducing its carbon footprint. Despite a tight budget, the design team utilized a multi-dimensional, multi-center system of learning communities to transform this hundred-year-old school into a School of the 21st Century.

The dynamic and playful design of Boxes and Yards is evident in its rotated massing and spinning color blocks on walls and floors. The interior spaces, named Hub of Intelligence, replace traditional corridors and serve as multipurpose learning centers. These spaces, such as the Lifestyle Center, Student Center, Makerspace, and Cybercafe, facilitate lectures, demonstrations, exhibitions, performances, and project-based learning, allowing students to learn anywhere, anytime.

The construction of Boxes and Yards was completed in 2019, and it has since become a model for innovative school design. The design team's philosophy of using design as a tool for change in education is reflected in the incorporation of educational concepts such as multiple intelligences, education as growth, and small learning communities. The collaboration between the designers and educators has resulted in a highly versatile learning environment that promotes transparency, openness, interactivity, and adaptability.

Overcoming the challenges of a tight budget and strict building code restrictions, the design team successfully chose cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and low-maintenance materials and methods to bring their vision to life. The result is a school that not only meets the demands of the 21st century but also preserves the rich history of the institution.

Boxes and Yards has received numerous accolades, including the Iron A' Design Award in 2021. This prestigious award recognizes the project's well-designed, practical, and innovative approach to education and architecture. The design of Boxes and Yards has truly transformed education, creating a space that inspires and empowers students to thrive in the modern world.