The new school and gymnasium is situated at the bottom of a hill, surrounded by vegetation and near the city centre of Magliaso. The competition site is next to the football pitch, via Cantonale, the kindergarden and the San Biagio Church.
The new school is situated in the north of the site, as far as possible from the street, with a garden between them acting as a visual and acoustic filter, immersing the building inside a “green island”. The building is supported by 4 big pillars that elevate the 4 concrete wall-beams from the land creating a continuous ground floor open to the landscape.
The building has a rectangular plan of 38 m by 66 m and includes both programs (school and gymnasium) joining them by an external atrium.
The school is spread over 2 floors and is organized around an atrium that connects both levels. The main classrooms are placed on the ground floor, connected to the garden. The structural beams wrap around the first floor where the musical and artistic activities are developed. In this floor we find as well the administration spaces and the canteen.
Towards these spaces there are green courtyards, that gives natural ventilation and sunlight. The courtyards are connected by a green ring where ivy will be grown, covering the concrete façade and it includes a rainwater recovery system.
The gymnasium will be built in a second time, so the structure was designed to be built in 2 stages. From the external atrium it’s necessary to pass through the ancillary spaces, that split between a dirty and a clean corridor that connects directly to the playing area.
The playground is in the ground level, avoiding stairs and connected to the external playgrounds by the glass façades. Natural sunlight is controlled by the protruding roof. The proposal seeks to respect the existing nature and preserve the vegetation, creating a protected environment for the students.
