MINGHAO XU 

Under Axis

Re-expansion of A Campus Building Following the Axis Symmetry

Undergraduate Program @ Southeast University

Team: Minghao Xu

Instructor: Ruyan Sun, Rentian Liu

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Zhongdayuan, as one of the campus's oldest structures, has historically emphasized axis symmetry in its design, but in its latest reconstruction, there's a shift towards accommodating the modern architectural school's diverse needs while still respecting this symmetry, termed "UNDER AXIS: Re-expansion of a campus building following the axis symmetry".

As one of the oldest buildings on the campus, Zhongdayuan has continued to adapt itself to campus through its own reconstruction and expansion. The central axis has always maintained its important position in the building. In its several shifts and transformations, the building has always stayed on symmetry based on the central axis.

However, even though the completely symmetrical and duplicate-style spatial development mode has been very effective in the past, it is increasingly unable to cope with the needs of the architecture school in the new era.

Therefore, in this re-expansion, the project discusses how to create a space that meets the diversified needs of space on the basis of following the axis symmetry. And this change in strategy is called ‘UNDER AXIS: Re-expansion of a campus building following the axis symmetry’.

Conceptual model and introduction

Site and axes

Program and plans

Section model

Scenes and detailed section