A Journey of Enlightenment: Runtang School

Runtang School reimagines education through architecture inspired by prisms, where light refracts and flows through transformative spaces, fostering interconnected learning communities. Embracing light as a metaphor for knowledge, the design synergizes nature and human intelligence to unfold a journey of enlightenment: where there is light, there is learning.

Serving public education for Grades 1 to 9 in suburban Tangshan, the school addresses two key challenges: creating a cohesive campus divided by two zoning parcels and adapting learning spaces to rapidly evolving pedagogies driven by technology.

The Energy Center, centrally located on the campus, bridges the Elementary and Middle Schools across the two parcels. Housing a cafeteria, dormitories, gymnasium, theater, and performing arts spaces, this innovative “Living-is-Learning” hub promotes social emotional wellness with a holistic lifestyle.

Spanning 112 meters, the center’s podium rooftop doubles as a grandstand with sweeping views of the city park. Beneath the theater's sloped floor, a dramatic stainless-steel-clad space functions as a memorable focal point for gatherings and events.

The Elementary School Building captures the refracted light through four double-height atriums arranged in a spiral, each dedicated to music, arts, sports, and nature-based activities. The Middle School Building, anchored by a third-floor library and STEAM lab, extends into two staggered atriums that act as interdisciplinary hubs for exhibitions, performances, and collaborative learning. These atriums seamlessly connect to classrooms and outdoor terraces, enriching the campus experience with panoramic views.

Playful polygonal forms and vibrant, spectrum-inspired colors generate an open, artistic learning landscape that sparks curiosity, exploration, and in-person engagement, counterbalancing virtual immersion. The decentralized, interconnected spaces align with the individualized and spontaneous nature of learning in the age of artificial intelligence. Moving beyond conventional, pre-defined spaces, Runtang School harnesses the transformative power of light, converting abstract, undefined architecture into a dynamic learning community for the digital era.