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Fettes College Guangzhou
Guangdong, China

An integrated living and learning environment

The new all-through school, in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, is a partnership between Fettes and Bright Scholar, China’s largest school operator, and will accommodate 2,320 students and more than 300 staff, many of whom will live on site.

The aim was to create a new school that is a true reflection of Fettes College internationally, fully adopting its ethos, providing an outstanding academic education, focusing on sector-leading pastoral care and introducing a wealth of co-curricular activities to broaden the horizons of all of its students.

Broadway Malyan was commissioned to design the masterplan, landscape, architecture and interiors of the new K12 school which includes a kindergarten, primary, middle and senior schools.

Internationally inspirational, locally grounded

The approach to the campus masterplan was founded on a deep understanding of the history of Fettes College Edinburgh, its ethos and its transformational educational opportunities. Combined with a rich knowledge of the the local context in Guanddong, it's unique heritage and stunning landscapes, it has enabled the design team to create and inspirational campus for future generations.

The campus is formed of a diverse sequence of built environments that foster collective academic excellence yet also provide individual expression. The design of each building is unique and age appropriate.

Kindergarten and Primary School

Designed around the 'learning through play' ideology, the kindergarten is a vibrant and fun environment, with tiered roof gardens and a courtyard for exploration.

The primary school is a 'nested' building, formed of a series of clusters featuring the very best STEAM spaces giving children the opportunity to enjoy interactive activities and learning. Classrooms are interwoven with outdoor space, drawing Guangdong's 'Forest City' feel into the teaching environments.

Middle and Senior Schools

The Middle School enjoys a large covered external hub for social learning, providing unique spaces for students to learn.

The Senior School acts as the focal point for the campus masterplan, sitting at the centre of the site. The building features a state-of-the-art learning hub that connects cross-curricular STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) spaces. The architecture has a more formal feel with a contrasting strength of appearance and geometric rigour, representing a focus on study and preparation for Higher Education.

Modelled in the iconic 19th Century gothic revival style of the Scottish school, the design features colonnades of natural stone with bronze detailing.

A place for everyone

Though each building is unique, the campus is tied together with the introduction of a learning spine. This route through the campus is punctuated by recreational facilities, shared library buildings and reading nooks, interwoven with a series of inspiring landscaped areas to provide diverse and interesting places to meet friends, share ideas or just to enjoy moments of quiet contemplation.

Inspiring landscapes are a clear departure from the traditional school playgrounds, featuring space for reflection, activity and sports, learning through play, make and do. A range of scales of space have been provided to facilitate learning and socialising either individually, peer to peer or in larger groups.Allotments and sunken gardens designed to accommodate heavy rains are full of successional pioneer species that connect students with their environment and nature, in the hope that if students experience, understand and enjoy sustainably designed and managed landscapes they are more likely to become stewards of the built environment after graduation.

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