Concordia International School Shanghai: A Case Study

Concordia International School Shanghai:
A Case Study

Shanghai, China

An American-focused Pre-K-12 curriculum for international students.

A leading private school and recognized architectural landmark in Pudong, Shanghai, the award-winning Concordia International School Shanghai Campus is situated at the heart of the Jinqiao New Town’s international community and is the nexus of daily life for many foreign nationals and their families. CISH provides an American-focused curriculum to foreign students from grades Pre-K through 12. The firm is currently working on Concordia campuses in Hanoi and Bangkok.

Project Facts

Client:

Concordia International School Shanghai

High School :

12,000 sm

Elementary School :

6,000 sm

David F. Rittmann Fine Arts Center:

2,250 sm

Services:

Architecture

Markets:

K-12 Education

Region:

China

Awards

2013: Rank 3 in the 10 Incredibly Beautiful High Schools by Best College Online Website

2013: Rank 9 in the 30 Most Beautiful High School Campus List Published by Best Education Degrees

2010 Citation Award for the high school: AIA Committee on Architecture for Education, CAE Design Awards

2008 First Honor Award for the elementary school and performing arts: AIA Westchester-Mid Hudson Design Awards

High School

Concordia International School Shanghai 2

Concordia International School Shanghai 3

The new high school serves as an unparalleled example of Concordia’s commitment to sustainability. The six-building complex integrates academic, athletic and administrative spaces; and embraces the latest trends in educational design. The school includes twenty high school classrooms, a science suite that maximizes space through shared facilities, a world language lab, and seminar/group instruction rooms of varying sizes. The library/information commons serves as a physical bridge, linking the new school with an older building providing a visual focal point for the school.

Concordia International School Shanghai 6

Concordia International School Shanghai 5

“We are pleased that we can be a model in Green City, Jin Qiao for ‘going green’: I am not aware of any other schools in China that are using geothermal technology for their heating and cooling systems. These initiatives demonstrate Concordia’s commitment to be on the leading-edge and to set a responsible example for our students.”

—Dr. Jim Kroeschen, former headmaster

Elementary School

Concordia International School Shanghai 8

The elementary school creates an environment that supports the curriculum, enhances teaching, fosters creativity, and stimulates artistic exploration through improved interaction between students and teachers.

“I worked closely with the Perkins Eastman team as we planned for and completed the construction of our elementary school and fine arts facility (David F. Rittmann Fine Arts Center). The team listened closely to our educational constructs and asked probing questions that helped us solidify the design most suited for our program and space allocations. Team members were easy to talk with when challenges arose and their guidance through the building process was most appreciated.”

—Louis Schini Weber, former elementary principal

Concordia International School Shanghai 9

Concordia International School Shanghai 10

David F. Rittmann Fine Arts Center

Concordia International School Shanghai 1

The Rittmann Fine Arts Center is a flexible multi-modal performance space that adapts to meet a variety of program needs and configurations. Designed as a center of creativity and enrichment, the facility is a social hub containing a modified “black box” that can be reconfigured as a recital hall, a thrust or proscenium theater or a lecture hall. Atop the theater is an arts terrace where students draw inspiration from the Shanghai skyline.