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Proactive Interior Design Approach to Renovate International School of Beijing

Inclusive Architectural Practice has unveiled the transformative "Montage of Melodies" design, aimed at revolutionizing the International School of Beijing (ISB) into a cutting-edge learning environment. This innovative approach replaces the solemn institutional building with a versatile, dynamic Learning Center empowered by a variety of age-appropriate, program-centered communities. The design creates a unique montage to activate a new order of the school environment.

The proactive interior design approach aims to renovate the ISB, replacing the over-unified, solemn institutional building with a versatile, dynamic learning center empowered by a variety of age-appropriate, program-centered communities. The design logic is consistent: each community is highly open and adaptable, designed to student age and learning program, with a feature community center, and able to be re-configured to meet ever-changing learning requirements.

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 a variety of age-appropriate, program-centered communities. All learning communities are imagined as music melodies, composing a unique montage to activate a new order of the school environment.

Environmental-friendly, cost-effective, and low-maintenance materials are key to the design. The design utilizes low eaves, small fenestrations, simple forms, modest accent colors, and a large amount of wood and concrete finishes to create a natural and relaxing ambiance, counterbalancing the existing solemn environment. Movable partitions and loose furniture are employed universally to ensure the maximum flexibility of learning spaces.

The project consists of 5 learning communities, 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 even working with kindergartners to observe their feedback.

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 a half years. In September 2020, ISB moved its students and faculties into the newly expanded and renovated facility.

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.

It was a privilege to work with ISB educators and administrators whose visions in education complement the tremendous K12 design experience of the design team. The challenge came from the conflict of the limited budget and high expectations from each learning community that refused to compromise. The design team has successfully chosen the most cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and low-maintenance materials and methods to turn the design intent into the best reality.

Xiaoyi Ma is the founder and chief designer of Inclusive Architectural Practice (IAP), a graduate of Tsinghua University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a licensed architect in the U.S. and a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Before founding IAP, Ms. Ma served as Partner and Managing Principal of KlingStubbins, a renowned architectural design company in the U.S. (later as Jacobs). The design she led and participated in has been awarded by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA).

As a designer and a mother of two children, Ms. Ma is dedicated to advocating a learner-centered philosophy and strives to explore effective architectural solutions to create cutting-edge, adaptable, and versatile learning spaces for international schools and public schools, making a transformation to the future in educational and workspaces. IAP has become one of the pioneer design firms in education architecture.

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