Penghu County Peng Nan Junior High School｜Pengnan Aesthetic Stone Weir

"The art of teaching lies not in the transmission of skills, but in the ability to inspire, awaken, and encourage."

— Didrikus

Island Elements as the Protagonist: Creating an Aesthetic Hub for Penghu’s Campus

The classroom sits at a key corner near the school entrance—a point every visitor must pass through upon entering the campus. Prior to renovation, the space could no longer meet the needs of Pengnan Junior High School’s internationally oriented aesthetic curriculum deeply rooted in local culture, prompting both teachers and students to anticipate a renewed aesthetic base.

From Exterior to Interior: A Bold Spatial Intervention

Departing from conventional approaches, the designer adopted an especially bold strategy by designating the heavily trafficked corner in front of the classroom as a circulation node and transforming it into an exhibition spot where selected works from aesthetic courses could be prominently displayed. Overhead, the ceiling features a “fishing rod” motif expressed through square metal tubing that extends from the outdoor corridor into the classroom. Both front and rear entrances, along with the windows, are draped with translucent fishing-net curtains that allow the island’s soft, even daylight to filter into the room. At the center, a large circular “floating buoy platform” serves as both a display stage and a place for discussion, accompanied by a continuous outward-spreading work surface along the perimeter. Without fixed seating assignments, the layout invites flexible teaching and group-work arrangements. A multifunctional storage wall was carefully planned to help teachers organize teaching tools, while the large projection whiteboard installed at the front further supports instructional needs.

An Island Classroom Like No Other: Shaping a One-of-a-Kind Aesthetic Base

The ingenuity of the design lies in the integration of island materials and symbols—fishing nets, buoys, and fishing rods—into the spatial experience, allowing Pengnan Junior High School to cultivate a truly distinctive aesthetic environment inspired by the cultural identity of the archipelago.