Kindergarden Longarone2021 - Longarone, Bellunocompetition - 3° place

This project has been developed from an accurate analyses of Longarone's territory, that allowed us to identify the unique characters of the site, which then became founding themes of the project. The building is located on the Murazzi system, ancient contaiment work which survived the Vajont tragedy and that testifies coexistence of men and landscape. This design wants to restore this relationship, establishing a communication with both the pre-existing buildings (the "Nobis Fagherazzi" house and the Murazzo) and the woods. As a matter of fact, the trees establish the rhythm of the new building’s composition, scanning the space and the module of the timber structure, meanwhile the timber cladding’s geometric decorations refer to the natural world, recalling the trees’ leaves. At the same time, the relationship with the ancient buildings is based on issues of accesibility and design of the public space aimed at the free circulation on the terraces. This way, a new urban relationship involving the school is suggested, understood as an open and free space that can be used by the whole community. The environment of the school is designed as a follow up of spaces and didactic activities where circulation is fluent and the connecting spaces are extensions of play areas. The modularity of the spaces encourages their flexibility, with the will of promoting a pedagogic model where the classrooms could be private or interconnected at the same time. The outside spaces want to be extensions of the classrooms and of the didactic activities and they differ in light, sensations and sound: as a matter of fact, the internal courtyard becomes an open-air room, protected from dangers and noises; the south garden is an open courtyard that allows playful and exploring activities thanks to the shadow casted by the trees and to the niche on the building’s south elevation, where the large emptying filters the sunrays generating light effects trough the geometric decorations. The internal spaces are characterised by different ceiling heights so the children are constantly stimulated by the environment, which inspires introspection thanks to the generous amount of sights and views. Flexibility is intended as an opportunity to constantly modify the activities in time and space depending on the didactic orientation that allow the kids to explore and experiment.