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The project and programmatic goals were as follows:
The intervention concerns the construction of a new building in continuity with the existing school building, located in the vicinity of the built-up area of Latina.
The new classroom extension building and the existing Manzoni Institute delineate an organic and closely related system.
The building housing the new classrooms has three levels above ground and is divided into two architecturally recognizable volumes of almost rectangular shape containing classrooms and common spaces, joined by a central hinge element where the distribution spaces, atrium, access/exit stairs, toilet cores, etc. are located.
Access to the school is from the pedestrian plaza on Magenta Street and is in common with the pre-existing institute; it was desired to maintain the connection with this through a connecting canopy and respecting the alignments on the street front.
The new school complex is permeated by an articulated urban plaza system facing the front where the school entrance is located. The design of the outdoor areas stands as an element of union with the green space located south of the intervention area, determining an environmental “corridor” suture between the school complex and the surrounding built-up area.
The system of outdoor areas constitutes a first area of expression of the environmental and pedagogical values that the building aims to convey through the use of sustainable materials and the potential use of this space as an extension/relation of educational activities and content.
Requirements arising from CAM regulations have directed the choice of paved surfaces to include the use of draining materials such as outdoor self-locking paving slabs, integrated with the turf and natural landscape.
The design of the building envelope aimed to identify a characterization and recognizability in the reference context. The solution adopted is aimed at mitigating the impact of the built environment through a chromatic and material symbiosis with the landscape and the territory to which it belongs.
The façades become the main areas of characterization: a double ventilated façade system, characterized in the west by a homogeneous and more natural color and in the east by a color gradation, so as to ensure the dynamism of the whole and encourage the greater integration and redevelopment of the surrounding context.
The roof system of the school complex is intended to receive integrated photovoltaic panels, such as to mediate landscape needs with performance requirements.
The building envelope thus consists of:
The new extension building is divided into:
The natural exposure of the classrooms was respected for more and adequate natural lighting: by placing the staircase in the central block, it was possible to position the classrooms to the southeast and southwest, adequately shielded with brisoleils where necessary. Instead, the services and emergency staircase were placed on the north side.
Overall, design choices were directed toward the maximum increase in sustainability, mitigation and low environmental impact criteria.
With this in mind, the planned predominantly “dry” construction system also ensures, through the joint use of prefabrication systems, the consistent reduction of impacts during construction of the work.
The proposed materials are responsive to aesthetic, comfort, and energy needs with special attention to acoustic, thermal, and lighting aspects.
In particular, it is proposed to use products that meet the CAM (Minimum Environmental Criteria) provisions published in the Official Gazette on 01/28/2017 pursuant to Article 34 of Legislative Decree. 50/2016, eco-sustainable and environmentally friendly, consisting of a minimum content of post-consumer material, certified and with specific labeling certifying their analysis, on one or more criteria, of environmental impact and quality (FSC, EPD, etc.).
An important, additional requirement had to be the maintainability of the work. As such, the components used meet the requirements of cleanability, maintainability, disassembly, and replaceability.
In order to reduce impervious surfaces, specific drainage materials (stabilized gravel and outdoor self-locking paving slabs with appropriate SRI index) were used in the resurfacing of outdoor areas.
Environmentally friendly materials for interior spaces were specially selected according to the intended use of each room.
Specifically:
