Character building

The Bridge School in Fujian province [Photos by Lan Tianyi/for China Daily]

The Bridge School

Located in Xiashi village in Fujian province in southern China, the "Bridge School" links the two parts of the village, which are divided by a small creek.

It is a multifunctional structure built between two steel trusses that span the creek. It serves as a primary school, as well as a library, a grocery for the villagers and amusement park for the kids. A pedestrian bridge is also hung below the structure allowing the villagers to cross the creek without entering the building.

Inspired by Chinese traditional acupuncture, the work rejuvenated a declining community by establishing a link between the two parts of the village.

The Bridge School won the 2010 Aga Khan Award for successfully invigorating the entire community and "encapsulating social sustainability through architectural intervention".