Perkins Eastman’s latest project on the Concordia International School Shanghai campus is a new 12,500 sm (129,200 sf) high school. The six-building complex integrates academic, athletic, and administrative spaces; and embraces the latest trends in educational design. The school includes 20 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 1,000 sm (10,800 sf) gymnasium contains an interactive space called the PE commons, which combines traditional physical education with modern wellness instruction. The library/ information commons serves as a physical bridge, linking the new school with an older building and providing a visual focal point for the school. The library capitalizes on the special language of a student center/bookstore that encourages informal, collaborative learning.

The new high school serves as an unparalleled example of Concordia’s commitment to sustainability. The school viewed the design of their new high school as an opportunity to redesign the entire campus’ heating and cooling system using highly efficient geothermal technology. The overall demand on heating and cooling was also reduced by employing green roofs over 40% of the new space, including a garden located on the roof of the library and adjacent to the science suite.