Text description provided by the architects. This is probably one of the most humanized students’ dormitories among all the universities in Zhejiang province or even in China. Due to the architect make good use of the site, arranging all the room spaces facing south. This provides students with accommodation space where could meet sunshine all the year round in the limited site. It is of great importance to improve the living condition in south China, considering the humid climate.
General conception of design: “the growing buildings”
According to local condition, this project takes advantage of the local mountain planning system. So that the buildings are built according to the mountainous terrain, and it wind like natural branches. It also helps to increase the lighting surfaces of the buildings. Meanwhile, each one of the buildings is built partly on stilts by using the topography of mountains. As a result, merge buildings into environment which make the space more abundant and interesting.
The skyline: the lie of a mountain
Hollowing out partly on facade of the buildings and retreat of rooftop which in order to weaken the volume of building complex. In addition, some interspersed turning are used in plan design, the rise-and-fall parapet of the buildings and the curves on the gable both make the building’s outline echo with surrounding mountains.
The change of space: “permeation”
A classical and traditional method, the “leaking window”, is taken into this project. The buildings are either built on stilt or dug partly on the facade, which inserting the surrounding landscape into the complex. Thus, it form interesting drawings which combine the beautiful scenes of mountains with the complex.
The design of facade: “rhythms”
Three different elements are taken in the facades of architecture: two layers of wooden blinds, wooden gratings and colored decorations. The facades of the buildings are divided in order. And with the mixture of the different elements it presents neat, clear and rhythmic at the same time. These three elements coordinate together, producing changes in rules, and all of these make the elegant and interesting rhythms.
Ecological Region: “the shadow of bamboo”
An’ji is famous for bamboos. Bamboos are also fully used in the design of dormitory area. Part of the building’s blocks using these bamboo as gratings on facades to keep themselves away from too much sunshine (considering those rooms towards west with bamboo covered on the facade). In this way, it could save a lot of energy and get a special effect of light and shadow, as well as strengths the local culture.
There are 1350 rooms can accommodate over 5000 teachers and students in the whole group of dormitories. Almost every single room has enough sunshine and great air circulation due to every building has only one-side corridor on each floor. Thanks to partly digging up and the blocks strewn at random which create many public spaces such as platforms and terraces. As a result, it enriches the level of interior spaces as well as provides more space for communication and activities.
This group of dormitories in Zhejiang University of science and technology, inserting the scenery of mountains and gardens into the buildings by using traditional Chinese design methods, and providing joyful visual sense of space. In a word, it takes good advantage of the topography of mountains, combining the buildings with nature and environment. Furthermore, it create such an art space with dynamic and harmony.