Tainan Municipal Zuojhen Junior High School｜Treasure Map · Multifunctional Smart Learning Hub

“ Teaching should not primarily rely on lectures; instead, it should advocate for "learning by doing," where knowledge is acquired through action. Knowledge is completed alongside action, with knowing and doing complementing and enhancing each other. ”

— John Dewey

Revitalizing Idle Space · Creating a Multifunctional Smart Learning Hub

Zuozhen Junior High School’s technology curriculum—developed through project-based learning—has gradually matured, yet its teaching spaces and hardware had not kept pace with the evolving instructional needs. The newly dedicated environment for technology education reinterprets the spatial experience from the entrance to the interior through the iconic “mountain form” of Tainan’s Moon World. Tiered platforms create a new type of reading landscape, while a forest-green color palette symbolizes nature and life, echoing the school’s outdoor exploration curriculum. The overall design conveys the idea that learning is like walking into the mountains—ascending, gaining perspective, and immersing oneself in a landscape rich with knowledge.

Through multiple rounds of dialogue with the school, the design team identified four core modes of use—teaching, reading, presenting, and discussing—and embedded them within two major spatial zones: the reading area and the teaching area. Between these zones, instructional functions and storage needs are carefully integrated, allowing diverse learning behaviors to unfold with fluidity. The reading area employs double-sided bookshelves for easy access, with the front side dedicated to recommended reading displays. Selected shelves also serve as platforms for student work exhibitions, while built-in wooden steps beneath allow students to sit, read, or engage in group discussions in a relaxed manner.

In the teaching zone, flexible and movable furniture enables teachers and students to freely adapt the space to the demands of various lessons. This adaptability ensures that instruction is no longer restricted by spatial limitations, allowing activities to transition smoothly and encouraging a dynamic, responsive, and learner-centered environment.