Asia’s Hogwarts – New Campus in China Channels the Wizarding School
A private college in the city of Xinle in Hebei Province is building a fairy-tale campus, complete with a castle that has led to the media calling it the Hogwarts of Asia.
The Hebei Academy of Fine Arts will consist of a three-building complex featuring a hundred-meter-tall bell tower. Once finished, the castle will be used as a laboratory for cultural industries. The college buildings will be a collection of architectural styles from around the world. The principal of the Academy, Zhen Zhongyi, is a well-known calligrapher and painter. He and his faculty are responsible for the design of most of the campus buildings. He said,
The first thought was to provide our students with a fine environment in which they will live and study. We also want a different way to conduct traditional education.
The unique campus buildings have already become a useful lab for students of architecture and landscape design. A pagoda and Taoist temple are currently under construction. There will also be a cathedral and a mosque, plus a modern art gallery with four helipads. It is expected to take a decade to complete. The fairytale castle has attracted critics from home and abroad, but Principal Zhen says its design is only broadly based on European Gothic architecture. He explained,
I’m not trying to copy the exact appearance of western castles. The idea is to bring in the essence and core value of western architectural styles.
So far, the castle alone has cost nearly four hundred million yuan ($64 million). This fall, the first group of students will start their studies at the new campus. You can check out a few photos below:
Looks great, right?! Let us know what you think in the comments.
