Huizhen High School has been recognized by the World Architecture Festival for its innovative approach to campus design, described as a courageous exploration of prioritizing efficiency in its layout. The accolade was awarded to the school in acknowledgment of its distinctive design, as highlighted by Approach Design Studio and Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group.
A Chinese boarding school, Huizhen High School, situated in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, has secured the prestigious title of the World Building of the Year for 2023. The announcement was made at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) held in Singapore last Friday. Designed by Approach Design Studio and the Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group, the school stands out with its unique features, including a rooftop park, treehouses, and elevated walkways within a "floating forest."
The design of the campus emphasizes the integration of indoor and outdoor spaces, blurring conventional boundaries. The school boasts an open-air lecture hall, tree-lined pathways, and study facilities across its 30-class establishment. Approach Design Studio emphasizes the importance of creating an environment that goes beyond mere efficiency in teaching, aiming to inspire free thinking among students. The project description highlights the intention to allow students to "release stress, adjust their body and mind, and discover beauty" outside traditional classroom settings.
The World Building of the Year award is considered a significant accolade in the architecture field, determined by a panel of 140 experts at the annual WAF. This year's winning design received praise from judges for its departure from traditional school architecture norms. Paul Finch, WAF's program director, described the project as "unexpected and delightful," noting the architects' success in creating a school that encourages walking, fresh air, and relief from academic pressure.
The selection process involved evaluating nearly 250 shortlisted projects, ranging from Newark Liberty International Airport's Terminal A and Australia's Holocaust Museum in Melbourne to national stadiums in Cambodia and Senegal. Huizhen High School emerged victorious in the school category, surpassing other outstanding projects.
WAF, hosted in Singapore, a city boasting three recent winners of the World Building of the Year, also recognized excellence in landscape architecture. The Benjakitti Forest Park in Bangkok, Thailand, received the award for its development into an "urban ecological sanctuary" on the grounds of a former tobacco plant. The festival also acknowledged future architecture projects and interior design.
Notably, last year's top prize went to Australia's Quay Quarter Tower, recognized as the world's first "upcycled" high-rise due to its design retaining two-thirds of an old skyscraper on the site.
