Guanghua School of Management 898 Centre sits in 898 Park, Chaoyang District, Beijing. Utilizing the resources of 898 Park and Guanghua School of Management, Peking University, the project expects to become the second teaching and activity area complementing the school campus. In the project site stand two 1950s red-brick industrial buildings. The design intends to increase the floor area to around 5000 sqm and furthest meet the client’s demand of use by refurbishing the two old buildings and adding a new one. The design will be implemented to emphasize contrast and harmony between the old and the new.

To achieve contrast, the design will protectively refurbish the old buildings and retain their original style of the 1950s industrial buildings, while the new building, on the contrary, will demonstrate the transparency and lightness of contemporary buildings. To achieve harmony, the new building will accord with the old ones in respect of structural system, building massing, building materials and functional layout.

In the northern part of the site, which is home to the old industrial building, the existing concrete columns will be retained and reinforced as necessary. The existing red-brick exterior wall will be demolished and rebuilt with recycled old bricks to provide the day-lighting needed by the new spaces. On top of the building, a new steel structure extension will be added. The facade of the extension will feature glass and white aluminum panel in contrast to the underlying old building, demonstrating a lightweight, transparent modernity. The first floor of the building, with a clear height of 6m, is divided into two lecture theatres. The added top floor is divided into two typical classrooms and a teacher lounge.

The southern part of the site is the old office building containing an basement and three aboveground floors. Except reinforcing the existing structure, the interior of the building is furthest retained except minor modifications. On the southern facade of the building, sunshade panels of alternate transparent glass and mirror glass are added. The mirror portion can reflect the garden in the south, producing interesting interaction with the environment. The basement, with a clear height of only 2m, can serve as space for storage and equipment. The first floor is an co-working space. The second floor houses seminar rooms and offices. The third floor contains guest rooms and dormitories.

In the middle of the site is a 3-story new building that is linked to the two old buildings by two setback glass staircases. Spaces between the buildings are turned into small, delicate gardens. The new building is distinguished by modern design languages: the glass curtain wall makes the building transparent while the white aluminum panels and white steel structure give a lightweight impression. Besides modernity, the new building also features fair-faced concrete exterior that echoes the concrete structure of the old buildings. The eastern side of the new building features full-length glass curtain wall, producing the main entrance of the building in a very open, transparent form. Behind the glass is a clear building atrium, which is centre to the entire building. The first floor of the atrium contains the reception and waiting area, decorated with green plants which, especially in cold winter, offer spiritual comfort in contrast to the withered trees outside. The western side of the atrium is a 2-storey full-height lecture theatre that can hold an audience of 220. The third floor of the new building features an open restaurant and a coffee bar that offer a clear sight and an overlook of the entire atrium. The roof of the new building consists of large-span steel structure and rooflight, bathing the entire atrium and restaurant in the sun.

Location: Beijing, China

GFA: 4,700 sqm

Client: Guanghua School of Management, Peking University

Design Team: Yongzheng Li, Qizhi Li, Teng Jiang, Yanfeng Lyu

LDI: Jiuyuan International Construction Consultants Ltd.

Design Date: 10/2016 - 11/2016