The spatial design of the school transforms an extremely high density (FAR=3 means roughly three times higher than traditional models) into an opportunity to explore a prototype of “a new city within the city”. One of the main features of the design is certainly “the loop”. By splitting the high-rise buildings into two horizontal halves interconnected by bridges, the loop drastically reduces vertical movements. The loop, though, is not just a circulation system: it is rather a three-dimensional combination of diverse social spaces (seating areas, open air classrooms, amphitheatres, roof gardens, etc.) that are designed to promote curiosity and inspire spontaneous activities and exchanges between students, recreating in a way all the interesting informal interactions that occur in the city.

In other words, the loop is a meandering “social bend” designed to organize the campus life, privileging diverse individual experiences in spite of social segregation. Contrary to most Chinese schools that are arranged around a central focal point (usually the sports field), the buildings of Futian Campus are focusing outwards: through a series of visual corridors all the volumes open up to the mesmerizing views of Futian Central Park and the CBD. Thus students are not isolated from their neighbourhood anymore, but they are active spectators of their urban context.