Renovation and Expansion of Shenzhen Longgang District Xinghe School by A.C.R.E. Atelier

Transforming a High-Density Urban School Campus into a Future-Ready Learning Environment

The Renovation and Expansion of Shenzhen Longgang District Xinghe School by A.C.R.E. Atelier represents a pioneering approach to educational architecture in China’s rapidly urbanizing cities. Completed in 2024 in Shenzhen’s Longgang District, this 29,960 m² campus reimagines spatial density, student wellbeing, and climate-responsive design.

Through a combination of adaptive reuse, vertical layering, informal learning landscapes, and passive environmental strategies, the project advances a new model for future schools in high-density urban settings.

A Modern Interpretation of the “Walled House” for Collective Learning

Cultural Identity, Density Strategy, and Human-Scale Courtyards

At the heart of the design is a contemporary reinterpretation of Longgang’s traditional “walled house” typology, adapted to strict urban planning limits including a 3.4 FAR and a 200m circular track requirement.

A six-story perimeter structure densifies the northern edge while opening toward the south, creating a gradient spatial strategy that balances privacy, daylight, and human scale. Carefully calibrated setbacks and façade proportions generate intimate courtyards that double as informal learning zones, encouraging collaboration and interaction beyond classrooms.

This integrated approach transforms the school into a living campus — one where architecture becomes a teaching tool and spatial boundaries nurture curiosity.

Embedded Topography and Floating Learning Clusters

Layered Terrain for Play, Exploration, and Community Engagement

Responding to spatial constraints and student circulation needs, the architects embedded key public facilities — gymnasium, auditorium, and shared programs — within a terraced plinth. Above this base, teaching clusters float dynamically, linked through cascading platforms and roof terraces.

These multi-level landscapes create a “learning valley” filled with playful social spaces, shaded circulation paths, and greenery. It encourages free movement, peer interaction, and student-driven discovery across the campus.

Three-Dimensional Connectivity and Nature-Driven Wellbeing

Colorful Bridges, Elevated Gardens, and Climatic Comfort

A network of aerial bridges and suspended walkways forms fluid 3D mobility across the school. Children are never confined — instead, they move through bridges lined with tree plantings, breezeways, and open views of the city.

Strategic voids cut into the massing allow natural ventilation, sunlight, and visual permeability, anchoring the design’s mission to create a healthier microclimate in a dense urban environment. The school becomes a vertical garden campus, where students reconnect with nature within their daily routines.

Open Boundaries and Shared Urban Interface

A School Without Walls — Connecting Education and Community

To manage student and parent circulation while promoting community integration, the design introduces a dual-ground-floor system and time-shared plaza.

During school hours, it functions as a controlled drop-off zone. After hours, it transitions into a public space shared with the neighborhood. Removal of traditional perimeter walls opens views to the sports field and student activities, fostering transparency, inclusivity, and civic vitality.

This gesture turns the school into a cultural and social energy hub, strengthening bridges between academic life and the city.

Climate-Responsive Innovation: Translucent Grid Shading System

Balancing Daylight, Comfort, and Energy Efficiency in Subtropical Shenzhen

Designed for the challenges of heat, solar exposure, and heavy rainfall, the architects developed a custom translucent grid shading film system.

Through rigorous simulation, the solution demonstrates ability to:

• Maintain ideal daylight autonomy (sDA)
• Improve Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI)
• Reduce glare (sGA) and heat gain

The result is a healthier learning environment with optimized natural light, reduced energy consumption, and greater visual comfort.

 A Prototype for Future Urban Schools in China

The Renovation and Expansion of Shenzhen Longgang District Xinghe School stands as a benchmark for educational transformation in dense Asian cities. By blending architectural innovation, cultural memory, environmental strategy, and social openness, A.C.R.E. Atelier delivers a bold vision for student-centered learning environments.

This project models how urban regeneration, vertical schools, and child-focused design can shape sustainable and inclusive educational futures.

All photographs are works of  Right Angle Image, XIAO Xiao, Jinhui Li