University Dorm Beijing
Type: Student dwellings Location: Haidian District, Beijing, China Client: Beijing Normal University Team: Bart Reuser, Marijn Schenk, Michel Schreinemachers, John van de Water Floor area / size: 49.000 sqm Competition: Invited competition 2006, second prize
Chinese university dormitories are strictly divided worlds of girls and boys. For this typical university dormitory, 12 sqm rooms are shared by four students; each room has a closed balcony.
The building will be accommodate a total of 3.500 students. In order to maximize the distance between boys and girls, two L-shaped buildings are situated opposite each other. The boys’ dorm is situated to the south; it is two floors lower and by reducing the building height sunlight is guaranteed to reach the two enclosed courtyards.
The two buildings are connected by a recreation program that can be used from both sides. The elevation concept is derived from nature and abstractly resembles the growing of ivy. Balconies embrace the building and create a play between the individual rooms and the building complex as a whole.
