Client: Comune di Felino
Place: Felino, Parma
Project: 2006-2008
Construction: 2009 -2012
Architectural design: Marco Contini and Sara Chiari
Director of works: Marco Contini
Structures: Thomas Schrentewein
Mechanical systems: Massimo Bocchi
Electrical systems: Giampaolo Vecchi
Type of intervention: new construction
Functional characteristics: primary school with 5 sections
Area: 3.900 mq
Contractor: Coverall and Satrini Elvi
Photographs: P.D.P. ; Stefano Vaia
Awards
First Prize ANCI Environmental and Social Sustainability for the Municipality. Energy efficiency and innovation in construction. Best achievement for energy efficiency in non-residential municipal building.
School ecosystem – XVIII Legambiente report on the quality of school buildings, structures and services, Rome, 17 October 2017: 10 innovative and sustainable school buildings
The agora as a meeting place for the school community.
The organization of the school building, which was built as the first part of the municipal school complex, is characterized by the presence of a large central double-height distribution space overlooked by the distribution galleries on the first floor. In this space are located different places for rest, recreation and meeting of pupils and teachers. The presence of seats and furniture for playing make this place particularly pleasant, whose natural lighting is obtained through three large horizontal skylights placed on the roof. This “inner courtyard” or “agora”, a continuation of the outdoor green spaces, plays an important role in the organization of school life, which includes the various workshops and special classrooms as well as classrooms.
As the classrooms occupy the main fronts of the building, which have a clearly opposite orientation, an attempt was made to exploit the different characteristics of each exposure for energy savings: exploitation of winter radiation, sun protection in the summer months and the greatest possible use of natural lighting.
The load-bearing structure, walls and floors, is in X-lam wood panels, integrated by steel columns and beams in the double-height central distribution space.
The project of the primary school of Felino is the result of a participatory process that has involved from the initial stages beyond the designers, the representatives of teachers, parents and the Administration. A series of meetings led to gather the concrete needs of the parties involved, which concerned both the distributive and didactic aspects as well as the performance and energy aspects of the building.
