The Lee Jung Sen Building

Innovative, East-Meets-West Design

The Stanford Center at Peking University is housed in the new Lee Jung Sen Building in the Langrun Yuan area of the Peking University (PKU) campus. Named for PKU alumnus and father of former Stanford Board of Trustees member, Chien Lee '75, MS '75, MBA '79, the building was designed by the distinguished Beijing architectural firm Mo Atelier Szeto. It is situated on the site of a former imperial palace and reconstructs the original Chinese courtyard building above a modern, state-of-the-art facility.

A key design consideration was the creation of flexible spaces that can accommodate multiple functions in a graceful setting with traditional Chinese accents. The floor plan balances spacious private offices and meeting rooms with expansive open areas, supporting both formal gatherings and casual interaction among faculty, students, distinguished visitors and alumni.

The three floors that comprise SCPKU are symbolic of the collaboration between cultures and institutions on the two sides of the Pacific. The ground floor reflects the Siheyuan architecture of the surrounding Langrun Yuan buildings. In accordance with strict preservation guidelines for this protected historic site, the courtyard building is a traditional gujian wood structure built by specially trained craftsmen using interlocking mortise-and-tenon joinery. The interior design and furnishings of the rooms on this level complement the traditional style of the building.

The lower two stories are below grade, which enables the Center to gain additional space without sacrificing the historical integrity of the site. They house offices, collaborative space, meeting rooms and a conference center surrounding an expansive, multi-purpose atrium. The elegant design ensures an open and well-lit working environment. Multiple skylights and two-story light wells bring natural light to the lower levels and the three interior gardens. These levels comprise familiar western-style offices, while the design and finishes have subtle Chinese influences.

The building's design gracefully combines the best of Chinese and western architecture.

March 21, 2012	SCPKU officially opens.
September 2011	Three sides of the siheyuan courtyard building under way.
July 2011	Light wells bring natural light to lower levels of the building.
May 2011	Building rises to the mezzanine level. The atrium opening and a few of the building's two-story light wells can be seen at the right.
February 2011	Excavation completed.
Sept. 1, 2010	Construction begins.
April 7, 2010	Peking University President Zhou Qifeng and Stanford Provost John Etchemendy sign 26-year Building Agreement.
July 22, 2009	Provost approves plan for a three-story building.
June 25, 2009	Peking University President Zhou Qifeng visits Stanford for discussions with President Hennessy, Engineering Dean Jim Plummer and incoming GSB Dean Garth Saloner.
June 2008	SCPKU project team visits Peking University for a site inspection and design discussions.
April 21, 2008	President Hennessy and Stanford deans and faculty visit PKU to explore new collaborative programs that SCPKU will enable. President Hennessy and Chairman Min Weifang sign memorandum of understanding to build the center at Langrun Yuan.
January-March 2008	Environmental assessment and geotechnical analysis of the site is performed.
February 2008	Stanford University engages Mo Atelier Szeto, a leading Beijing architectural firm, to design the SCPKU building.
Nov. 6, 2007	Peking University Chairman Min Weifang visits Stanford for planning discussions with President Hennessy, Professors Jean Oi and Andrew Walder, and other Stanford faculty.
October 2007	President John Hennessy and PKU President Xu Zhihong sign letter of intent.
March 2007	Planning begins to establish Stanford's first all-university resource outside of the United States.

• Stanford University
• Contact Information
• Maps and Directions