Dive into Colors
Dulwich College in Shanghai planned to have a state-of-the-art sports center with community functions for its growing Shanghai Pudong Campus. Dulwich appointed VIRTUARCH as one of the most experienced school design companies in China to be in charge of this key project for the extension and upgrading of its Pudong Campus.
Limited space: Challenge and Chance
The Planning Bureau limited the building height to a 2-storey building and allowed for a footprint of only 1,800 square meters. These were certainly difficult conditions for fulfilling a program of over 6,300 square meters with functions requiring 7 meters net height. As a consequence of this restriction, a lot of usable space had to be underground in order to fulfill the needs of Dulwich College. In addition to the already challenging situation, VIRTUARCH gave itself the task to have natural light in all major functions despite of the large underground areas.
“Our aim was to develop a building where students don’t feel that they are actually in a basement area; panoramic stairs linking all levels, natural daylight flooding the building and vibrant colors were key to achieve that,” explains Daniel Heusser, General Manager at VIRTUARCH.
A world of colors and daylight
Thinking the building consequently from a student’s experience perspective, VIRTUARCH created a composition of natural light and vibrant colors unveiling a surprisingly generous world of a 25m swimming pool and a learning pool under a colorful pixel style ceiling on Basement Two level.
The pool is the showpiece of the sports center which hosts also a double gym with stands, a fitness studio, a dancing room, changing rooms and a generous multifunctional event area with catering facilities.
Open space to connect people
All main areas are visually connected through sculptural open stairs interlinked by voids, offering views into the gyms and pool areas and green sunken areas. Both, the pool and the gym each have a visitor gallery, and the rugby field can be overlooked from generous outside stands and from a spacious terrace in front of the multifunction room.
Despite the building being technically very challenging, VIRTUARCH mastered to achieve creating friendly spaces for students of all age groups. The Sports Center has become the heart of Dulwich College Shanghai’s Sports and Events activities and has been greeted by the entire school community with enthusiasm.
PROJECT NAME: DULWICH SPORTS CENTER SHANGHAI
CLIENT: DULWICH COLLEGE SHANGHAI
LOCATION: SHANGHAI, P.R.CHINA
FUNCTION: SPORTS FACILITIES / COMMUNITY FUNCTIONS
TYPOLOGY: CAMPUS EXTENSION
PROJECT SIZE: 6,300 m2
PROJECT DATE: 2013-2016
SERVICES: EPCM (FEASIBILITY, PROGRAMING, CONCEPT DESIGN, DESIGN MANAGEMENT, PROCUREMENT, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, TESTING&COMMISSIONING, HANDOVER, OVERALL PROJECT MANAGEMENT INCL. QUALITY CONTROL, COST CONTROL, SCHEDULE CONTROL AND RISK CONTROL), ARCHITECTURE DESIGN, INTERIOR DESIGN, LANDSCAPING DESIGN
