Juntian Primary School The Pingshan District Juntian Elementary and Secondary School competition focuses on new educational spaces and innovative learning spaces for children in Shenzhen. Eschewing the typical gated community and introverted design of most schools, the project aims to let the school participate more actively within the city, by carefully framing views to the landscape and creating a new kind of urbanism within. A main Z-shaped block flows through the site, connecting programmes from east to west, while smaller blocks are connected to it through programme bridges. The sectional variety results in shortcuts as well as courtyard and landscape spaces where students can congregate and socialize outside of the classroom. The new internal “urbanism” is also reinforced by a sculpted ground condition that holds the theater, library, assembly areas and stadium seating, while the relative transparency afforded by the building envelope results in cross ventilation and better connections to the city and landscape.