The new architectural school building is located at the edge of the hilly campus with a scenic view of the Tolo Harbour. We proposed an architecture which takes the form of a mass pierced diagonal shape to preserve the view of the sky. This also continues the uphill movement from the railway station, to the ‘acropolis route’ up to the architectural school building and to the outer edge of the site.

'The ‘acropolis route’ starts with the public gallery path leading up to the library and the gallery. Large pivot joint metal blackboard doubles as partitioning doors to include/ exclude the corridor spaces as desired. The gallery can be extended into the gallery path and the external timber deck in the wood.

Split levels add special interest and variety to the studio, and enable easy access to the functional areas below and above. Large openings facing north-west and east capture the campus’ hilly topology and scenic view of Tolo Harbor, giving an infinite boundary to architectural thinking and design.

Green informal learning areas go in and out of the upper level teaching rooms and offices; the DT lab is next to the open lawn, while the classrooms and offices centers around the upper internal lawn with hanging ivy.

The ‘acropolis route’ is along the public gallery path, internal street, through the studios, up to the open lawn and upper internal lawn. The diagonal cut creates a breezeway through the building, enabling cross ventilation for and penetration of natural light to all levels. Metal grill panels of varying degrees of openings complete the concrete facade, while enabling light and air to enter.



Location: Shatin, Hong Kong
Client: The School of Architecture, the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Year: 2009
Status: Design Competition, shortlisted
Program: Institutional
Team: Billy Chan, Ida Sze
Authorized Person, Structural Engineer, Building Services Engineer: P&T Architects & Engineers Ltd