Daning Road Primary School, a cherished institution in Northern Jing’an, Shanghai, is undergoing a stunning transformation thanks to a phased renovation plan developed by LINEWORKS in collaboration with the school. The renovation in 2024 introduced a beautifully reimagined teaching building, blending timeless charm with modern vibrancy and breathing new life into the campus.

The main entrance of the campus sits adjacent to a densely populated residential neighborhood, yet years of unplanned renovations and additions left it visually cluttered and starkly out of sync with the architectural style of the school. The design team tackled this challenge by employing an interplay of clean, overlapping geometric forms to streamline and redefine the entrance’s visual composition, giving it a fresh and cohesive appearance. To enhance its visibility, the team introduced a vibrant yellow accent to the pedestrian entrance, making it a standout feature of the neighborhood.

The other building cause the terraces on the second to fourth floors encased by dense aluminum alloy windows. The drab exterior color scheme rendered the entire building bulky and monotonous. The design team decided to introduce variation into the rigid window arrangement on the façade with minor modifications, complemented by a harmonious color combination to enhance the building’s overall visual openness and vibrancy.

The extensive use of glowing light panels and linear light strips defines the interior transformation. By skillfully blending these lighting features with the ceiling design, the team has crafted classrooms that are open, bright, and uniquely expressive. The vibrant spaces not only elevate the atmosphere but also unlock endless creative opportunities for teaching and learning.

Despite constraints within the original structure, our design team creatively utilized the differences in heights between interior beams for the renovation of the reading room. They covered sloped surfaces with light-diffusing film to make the space open and bright. The new bookshelf designs also resolved the overly simplistic and monotonous nature of the previous bookshelves. Outdoor elements are incorporated in the renovation of gymnastics room. The running tracks on the floor and the court-shaped light fixtures on the ceiling complemented each other. Paired with bright yellow wall panels, the entire indoor space is infused with athletic vigor. Our design aims to translate the experience and joy of outdoor activities into indoor space, bringing happiness to the students.

The top floor of the comprehensive building is designated as a multifunctional conference room. However, the existing enclosed corridors made the space narrow and cramped. To address this issue, our design team removed part of the corridor partitions, transforming the spatial experience by creating a spacious, open, and bright conference area.

LINEWORKS’ creative design has breathed new life into this old campus in northern Jing’an。

Design: Lineworks
Design Team: Mike Chen, Ciya Qin
Photography: Sha Peng