Manara Valgimigli School

Secondary school is the place where children start experimenting with the concept of conviviality, they start developing a social conscience, moving from the protected sphere of the family, to a social sphere, made of interpersonal relations.

We started analysing the urban context, particularly the historical centre of Bagno di Romagna in order to identify a genius loci and we noticed the presence of a linear architecture, made of different heights and pitched roofs.

We decided to re-propose pitched roofs in order to create a visual connection but also a concrete dialogue with the context which is characterised by a building curtain that gradually disintegrates itself. In fact, the more we get close to the project site the more the linear building blocks become less dense. By noticing this peculiarity, we decided to experiment with the concept of functional blocks aggregation.

But, analysing the elevation of the existence, we also noticed a different material horizontality: each building consists of a ground floor which has a material approach different from the rest of the elevation, a characteristic that we decided to re-propose.

The concept of our project consists of functional blocks aggregation thought to let the school have better management. That’s why we organised the building in seven different volumes, each containing a function. The blocks are connecting but each one can work individually and host a specific function

The school is organised on three floors. The main entry (1.1) is located at the ground floor, it is a focal point between the school community and the citizens, a sort of window spaces that can host afternoon informal activities. The main entry gives people a complete view on the inside of the school, by entering the school you already know where to go.

Common spaces (3.1-3.2-7.1-7.2-7.3) are adaptive spaces where all the school community can meet and socialize by doing a different kind of activities: people can relax, read a book, socialize, do the homework. In fact, each block is an independent pavilion which can be used after school time.

Natural illumination is possible thanks to roofing skylights systems which provide also natural ventilation.
The basement hosts social activities: the library (5) is characterised by quiet and silence but let you see what happens outside because it has been projected as a window on the agorà (2) which is the square where the children can do a different kind of activities. The agorà is linked to the refectory (4.1) where the children but also the teachers can have lunch.

The aim of the project was to create a school that could be seen as a focal point by the entire community of San Piero in Bagno, an area where you can organize different activities after school time that involve children and the citizens , a place where each child can develop his/her socialization skills besides his/her education.