Chung Chi Student Development Complex, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

BACKGROUND The Chung Chi Student Development Complex is a pioneering project at Chung Chi Campus of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) to redevelop the old campus into a student-oriented, healthy and green campus, with a wide range of student amenities and communal spaces for promoting a sense of belonging to the college and development of holistic education. GARDEN-TYPE UNIVERSITY The Chung Chi College is one of the three original colleges constituted of CUHK in 1963 with strong characteristics of brutalism architecture and Chinese Garden design, with integration of winding paths, natural elements and unique scenes for enriching the pedestrian experience. The project is to extend the idea of Chinese Garden from the Lake Ad Excellentiam to the Main Campus to create a joyful pedestrian journey within the University, reconfiguring a traditional garden design into a building complex as a “Three-Dimensional Garden”. Furthermore, the journey also acts as a new connection for enhancing the campus connectivity and reducing the dependence on university shuttle bus for daily transportation. THE JOURNEY The building is oriented to integrate into the existing Chung Chi Campus nature and landscape seamlessly. By passing through the circulation inside the atrium created by dividing the massing, the users can enjoy the idea of traditional Chinese Garden narrative such as One Step One Scene and Borrowed Scenery inside the building complex in form of a “Three-Dimensional Garden”. Different kinds of communal nodes are created along the circulation system to create a garden-type circulation space to encourage student interaction. The disposition and permeability of the massing also share the merits of natural lighting and ventilation and let the users feel like staying in the garden and outdoor space. CULTURAL INHERITANCE The historical and social value of the existing building and College is always appreciated. Rubble Stones (Ngo Tau Shek), which was an on-site mined material and widely adopted in the early Campus, is salvaged and re-applied in this project. Traditional concrete lattice window is also re-expressed on the façade as a sun-shading element. COMMUNITY, HUMANITY AND PERSONALITY User experience and sustainability consideration are the fundamental factors governing the massing design and building orientation. The journey-like circulation system which also acts as a major communal space is placed in the middle part of the building for enhancing the visual and spatial connectivity with the surrounding function rooms. In view of enhancing student self-involvement and creativity for use of space, different communal nodes such as atrium hall, seating area and reading lounge are allocated along the circulation to encourage student interaction. NATURE AND SUSTAINABILITY Natural lighting and ventilation are the primary source in all circulation and communal space with support of energy efficient low-speed fans and strategical building orientation. The overall building orientation is to optimize the summer prevailing wind from south-west and natural lighting from the east and south. The service core and mini-theatre are strategically allocated at the western side of the building to act as a thermal mass and passive design for sun-shading.