Just above street level

In the concrete jungle of Hong Kong, the new campus of the French Inter­na­tional School stands as a vibrant green oasis in the dense city. 1,100 pupils now enjoy a colorful, colla­bo­ra­tive multi­cul­tural lear­ning space, setting the scene for the working envi­ron­ment of tomorrow.

Just above street level in Hong Kong’s Tseung Kwan O district, sunlight meets the kalei­do­scopic façade of the new French Inter­na­tional School campus, spil­ling into the buil­ding through windows laid across a grid of 627 multi­co­lored tiles. From the street, this colorful façade draws the eye to the institution’s new primary and secon­dary school – A vibrant, sustainable envi­ron­ment supporting a world-class multi­cul­tural educa­tion.

Dissolving classrooms

Completed in September 2018, the 19,600 m² new French Inter­na­tional School creates an open and active lear­ning envi­ron­ment that place the school at the fore­front of pedago­gical inno­va­tion in Hong Kong.

Archi­tects Henning Larsen dissolved the tradi­tional class­rooms and pushed boun­da­ries on how lear­ning spaces can allow teachers and classes to work toge­ther in a more colla­bo­ra­tive open space.

Villa and Agora

In the Primary School section, the tradi­tio­nally enclosed class­rooms with corri­dors merge toge­ther in a series of large open plan spaces called Villas, each with 125 pupils in the same age group.

Teachers can open their classes up to each other and share a central space called the Agora, where group acti­vi­ties unfold. Here, classes from both streams of the school (French and Inter­na­tional) can colla­bo­rate and develop group projects toge­ther; prepa­ring for the work envi­ron­ments of tomorrow.

Sustainable agenda

Green in form and func­tion, the campus sets an example in sustaina­bi­lity. The buil­ding form and the façade designs are opti­mized to respond to the local climate and to decrease energy consump­tion and increase comfort by passive means.

Stra­tegic use of daylight also supports the sustainable vision. The campus offers ample daylight in all of its spaces. In the sunny tropics, this means careful orien­ta­tion of windows and robust sun shading.

All the class­rooms face North or South to avoid the puni­tive low sun from East and West, and the deep brise-soleil shade the façade to avoid any direct sunlight into the spaces. The light is gene­rous and homo­ge­nous throug­hout the day. The brise-soleils enti­rely removes the need for blinds or curtains and enables a clearer glass to be used, thus provi­ding a more natural color of daylight in inte­rior spaces.

Vegetation

Natural vege­ta­tion is crucial to the campus’ green func­tion. Forty-two trees, a plant covered peri­meter fence, multi-story hanging gardens and a 550 square meter bota­nical garden planted with native South Chinese vege­ta­tion are among the green spaces that estab­lish the school as a lush garden within urban Hong Kong.

As the vege­ta­tion improves air quality within the urban setting, venti­la­tion systems utilize natural breezes to circu­late fresh air through the buil­ding and reduce reli­ance on air condi­tio­ning. With ample oppor­tu­nity to study, play among and culti­vate these gardens, students are able to gain hands-on expe­ri­ence with the region’s natural vege­ta­tion, foste­ring a sense of envi­ron­mental steward­ship and a prac­tical educa­tion in sustaina­bi­lity.

The loop

A vege­tated peri­meter fence estab­lishes the school as an urban green space, part of a network of planted space within the campus. A 400 meter-long track called “The Loop” winds its way throug­hout the campus play­grounds, and inclines through the Native Garden, giving students the oppor­tu­nity to study stra­ti­fied layers of native South Chinese plant species with the sensa­tion of clim­bing up through a forest canopy. In total, 42 native trees grow within the campus.

Multicultural design

The multi­co­lored ceramic tiles cove­ring the French Inter­na­tional School’s distinc­tive façade are a mate­rial repre­sen­ta­tion of the envi­ron­ment within. A spec­trum of colors, the tile design gives sustainable form and a multi­cul­tural vision to the campus, supporting its mission of a forward-thin­king, inter­na­tional educa­tion.

Offe­ring five languages to a student body repre­sen­ting 40 natio­na­li­ties, the French Inter­na­tional School is an active cultural cross­road. Outside of school hours the campus also acts as a quiet and green oasis in a city with a scar­city of space. Ground floor faci­li­ties, inclu­ding the gymna­sium, exhi­bi­tion areas, canteen and play­ground, can be opened to the public — allo­wing the school to operate on evenings and weekends as a beacon for French culture.

Refuge

With over seven million resi­dents, the towe­ring concrete and constant acti­vity of urban Hong Kong pres­ents a chall­enge to crea­ting effec­tive lear­ning spaces. For some 1,100 students, the French Inter­na­tional School’s Tseung Twan O creates a green refuge within the big city.

Although situated in a more densely urban setting than other campuses of the French Inter­na­tional School, our new Tsueng Kwan O loca­tion stands out in its inclu­sion of healthful green spaces. The outcome is a flou­ris­hing, vibrant lear­ning space that makes room for students to colla­bo­rate and grow within the city.