PAPER FOLD - PRIMARY SCHOOL
FROM PAPER SHEET TO FORM
The project leads to a way of teaching based on creativity, dexterity and freedom. When a child through imagination transforms a sheet of paper into a form using a simple and intuitive gesture, he defines the identity of the new primary school.
URBAN CHARACTER
The project relates to the city by strengthening the system of public spaces and establishing relationships with the urban environment on different scales.
On the big scale the new school responds with a strong and identifiable architecture that is capable of relating to the existing cultural buildings like the Congress Palace, the Municipal Library and the Planetarium.
On the local scale the building integrates the public space and the park, creating a system of canopies and green patios.
The new open space system is based on three main elements: the "park", the "open-air lab" and the "didactic gardens".
The park is the place where child can experience nature and share interests.
The design of the park is characterised by an interesting landscape: a small curved hill, that creates a "natural cavea" - for recital, performances, sports events - and protects from the local traffic of nearby streets.
Inside the building two green patios allow to extent the didactic activities to the exterior space and create a winter garden in direct connection with the cookhouse.
THE ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT
The building is designed to be a simple and flexible system that meets the requirement of an innovative contemporary system of education.
All the activities are hosted under the iconic roof: the classrooms, the labs, the common spaces and the green areas – all ready to serve 260 students.
The 7x7 m modular structure defines the architectural composition in a clear and functional way. In the inner part of the building the common spaces (atrium, playground, patios and canteen) create a social core around which the classrooms and the laboratories gravitate.
In this way all the connecting spaces become a place to meet, study, exchange information and have fun instead of serving as a mere passage.
SUSTAINABILITY
The design of the roof plays a fundamental role for the comfort control of the space (temperature, humidity, air circulation and light regulation) making the sustainable use of the resources possible.
In order to fulfil the demand of different quantity and kind of illumination for various activities, the position and the orientation of the skylights change.
Their openings can be controlled manually or via a computer to guarantee air circulation and minimise heat loss.
The roof also integrates the water recovery system (to be used for sanitary and irrigation needs) and solar photovoltaic-thermal panels (on the southern side).
