Montage of Melodies Consilium Interioris Scholae by Xiaoyi Ma

Montage of Melodies Consilium Interioris Scholae by Xiaoyi Ma is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum in Designatio Interior Competition Category.

ArgentumInterior· 2021

Montage of Melodies Consilium Interioris Scholae

by Xiaoyi Ma

Client: Inclusive Architectural Practice

Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum Winner in Interior Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #119591

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Colors

The Design

About Montage of Melodies Consilium Interioris Scholae

Symphonia Melodiarum est consilium interioris ornatus scholae internationalis K12 Pekini in Sinis sitae. Renovatio spatia institutionalia uniformia quinque communitatibus discendi distinctis substituit, quae communitatem prioris eruditionis, centrum artium, bibliothecam, centrum consilii et centrum artium scaenicarum comprehendunt. Unaquaeque communitas certae aetatum classi et programmati discendi destinata est, et unaquaeque centrum communitatis habet. Saepta mobilia et supellex laxa spatia reconfigurari sinunt. Ligni et betonis superficies auram tranquillam ac naturalem creant.

The Recognition

About the Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum

Montage of Melodies Consilium Interioris Scholae victor est Praemii A' Design Award Argenteum, honoris eximie amplissimi formis summi generis, pulchris et conspicuis dati. Victores Argenti opera valde splendida et creandi ingenio praedita sunt, quae praestantem peritiam, talentum et acumen auctorum suorum ostendunt. Exspectatur Montage of Melodies Consilium Interioris Scholae opus mirabile, exemplare, valde professionale et penitus novum fore. Haec forma Argento victa inventum notabile et admiratum est, quod ad fines artis, scientiae, formandi rationis et technologiae promovendos confert. Montage of Melodies Consilium Interioris Scholae creatio est, quam multi invident, quae cupiditates excitat, sensus bonos affert et admirationem miraculumque movet.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Montage of Melodies, a proactive interior design approach to renovate the International School of Beijing, aims to transform this leading K12 school to the cutting edge of learning environment by replacing the over-unified, solemn institutional building with a versatile, dynamic learning center empowered by variety of age-appropriate, program-centered communities. All learning communities are imagined as music melodies, composing a unique montage to activate new order of school environment.
Dimensions & Packaging: Site Area: 133,333 m2
Existing Building Area: 54,087 m2
Expansion Building Area: 11,079 Square m2
Architectural & Interior Design Area: 16636 m2
Building Height: 24 m
School including: Early Year 3 through Grade 12
Tags: K12, Education, International School of Beijing, Renovation, Montage
Production Technology: Environmental-friendly, cost-effective and low-maintenance are keys to material selection. Low eaves, small fenestrations, simple forms, modest access colors and a large amount of wood and concrete finishes are utilized to create natural and relaxing ambience, counterbalancing the existing solemn environment. Movable partitions, vertically or horizontally operable, and loose furniture instead of fixed millwork, are employed universally to ensure the maximum flexibility of learning spaces.
Design Challenge: It was a privilege to work with ISB educators and administrators whose visions in education complements the tremendous K12 design experience of the design team. The challenge came from the conflict of the limited budget and high expectation from each learning community that refused to compromise. The design team have successfully chosen the most cost-effective, environmental friendly and low-maintenance materials and methods to turn the design intent to the best reality.
Research: The first international school established in Beijing, ISB is composed of 1,650 students from EY3 to G12 representing 50 countries. The existing building with over-unified spaces is unable to represent the diversity of students and learning programs that are critical to curriculum innovation. The designers, in collaboration with educators and administrators, have implemented a proactive architectural approach, Montage of Melodies, to transform it to the cutting edge of learning environment.
Inspiration: Inspired by motion picture montage and music melodies, it is the design intention to create each small learning community with colors, forms and placemaking drastically different from one another and fill it to the existing architectural framework, even though the design logic is consistent: each community, highly open and adaptable, is designed to student age and learning program, with a feature community center, and able to be re-configured to meet ever-changing learning requirements.
Project Duration: The International School of Beijing (ISB) is located in Shunyi District of Beijing, China. The design was commenced in May 2017 followed by construction, lasting for a total duration of nearly three and half years. In September 2020, ISB moved its students and faculties into the newly expanded and renovated facility.
Operation Flow: The project consists of 5 learning communities including Early Learning Community, ES Arts Center, ES Library, MS/HS Design Center and MS/HS Performing Arts Center, each represented by different educators and students, with whom the design team worked closely to establish design strategies together. The collaboration was successful in methods of questionnaires, focus group discussion, design charette, and etc. The designer even worked with kindergartners to observe their feedbacks.
Team Members: Xiaoyi Ma
Jiajia Wang
Pengfei Chen
Yan Xia
Yang Ming
Xuejiao Zhou
Chaoyi Meng
Weihui Yan
Renzheng Zhu
Jing Wang
Xiaoang Li
Xuan Zhang
Haining Gu
Jing Zhu
Jiayi Wu
Yajuan Li
Yue Zhao
Min Shao
Image Credits: Zhi Xia