“ The architecture is the bearer of a new conception of the school as a place for
meeting , sharing and exchanging ideas but also as a space of excellence that fosters a culture of change .
Photo : Tolli Giulio
Photo : Tolli Giulio
space is itself an educator , influencing the cognitive , social , and affective sphere of each pupil .
The architecture is the bearer of a new conception of the school as a place for meeting , sharing and exchanging ideas but also as a space of excellence that fosters a culture of change . From that came the idea of a large covered square measuring 15 metres across : bright and colourful , adaptable to the varied activities of the school and community life , and able to welcome and protect without making social distinctions , relating each person to the others and to the surrounding panorama . All the teaching spaces are arranged around the central agora and are defined by large curved , glazed sliding walls , making them highly flexible and reconfigurable based on the day to day needs of school life . The interiors are also designed to be in constant dialogue with the outside , thanks to the large continuous windows that look out on the surrounding Apennine landscape .
The characterising feature of the new school building is the roof : a disc-shaped garden roof covered with vegetation resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses and that is designed in accordance with bioclimatic principles , to shield the building from intense summer radiation whilst allowing solar radiation to enter during the winter , which assists with heating . The numerous skylights recall the idea of the “ starry sky ”: a response to the desire expressed by the children of Pacentro to be able to see the night sky from inside their school . Externally , the building is partially hidden at ground level by an artificial “ dune ” that surrounds it like a ring , protecting it from the wind and gradually revealing it to those approaching along the entrance path .
ARCHITECTURAL FOCUS
Mario Cucinella , Founder & Design Director of MCA – Mario Cucinella Architects said : “ Designing a school tailored to the wishes of the children and the community means caring for an entire territory . It involves engaging in dialogue and in listening , to create a place that interprets diverse aspirations Architecture has a social role because it educates and influences learning and relationships . By providing the younger generations with a school that is beautiful , safe , and innovative — designed for them and with them — we help our youngest children walk towards the future . We create spaces where they can live , have experiences , and discover and recognise themselves .”
Architect Daniel Caramanico , Co-Founder of LAP architettura said : “ The Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri exemplifies how a project involving children , parents , teachers , and the broader community can be shaped autonomously by their ideas and hopes . For us , this project represented a school in its broadest sense , where we learned and applied the principles of participatory and sustainable design . , The outcome is a building that seamlessly blends with the landscape of the Majella National Park , a UNESCO Geopark , making it both ecologically sound and forwardthinking . The school of dreams that becomes a reality .”
www . mcarchitects . it / en / home-en www . laparchitettura . com
Photos : Walter Vecchio
PAGE 21 - ARCHETECH