An Approach to Renewal Old University Campuses Based on the Integration of Above and Below Ground Space

Urban land scarcity and increasing student numbers have limited the development of old university campuses. This study proposes a new concept of integrating above-ground and underground space for the study of the renovation design of old university campuses and applies this new concept to the Xueyuan Road Campus of China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing). The study was carried out with a focus on four aspects: functional zoning integration, traffic optimization, emergency evacuation of underground space, and space quality improvement. Adjustment of the functionality and zoning of the campus by analyzing the demolition of some of the existing old buildings, taking into account the surrounding environment and the above and below-ground conditions of the campus after the demolition, to separate pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic on campus. In this design, the large-scale gymnasium is underground beneath the playground where the upper space cannot be opened. An innovative "functional area-secondary safe area-safe area (sunken space)" evacuation system is proposed, and its feasibility was verified using the simulation software. Sunken corridors, sunken courtyards, and skylights were used to solve the problems of lighting in underground spaces. The methodology described in this paper effectively increased the area of various buildings on the campus and significantly improved the quality of the campus space. Our results provide a plan for the renovation of the Xueyuan Road Campus of China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), and provide an effective method for the renovation of old university campuses.