Auctioneer: Comune di Felino
Location: Felino, Parma
Competition: 2004 first classified
Construction: primary school 2009; canteen 2020
Architectural design: Marco Contini, Sara Chiari
Collaborators: Sebastiano Bertoni, Elisa Paletti, Davide Fasoli
Type of intervention: new construction
Functional characteristics: primary school with 5 sections, first grade secondary school with 5 sections, canteen, gym, building
Area: 11.000 sqm
The identification of a cycle-pedestrian path that connects the new school centre to the centre of Felino, a path parallel to the main street of the town, allows the project to be placed within a clear settlement rule in which the volumes and open spaces of the school they are related to other public places or places of public interest. The building volumes arranged transversally to the path define a series of places with different sizes and shapes such as small courtyards, arcaded areas, a large garden in the centre of the settlement, spaces that bring back to community life and meeting between people sheltered from traffic automotive.
The school activities find their place within the two main volumes arranged parallel to each other. The primary school is foreseen in the volume located along the north side of the lot while the secondary school is located along the south one. This provision refers to a strong unity and importance of the entire school cycle, although within each school the spatial and furnishing solutions are differentiated and linked to the educational needs of the individual age groups.
In continuity with the volumes of the two schools, spaces for sports activities are placed: a small gym serving the primary school and a gym with stands serving the lower secondary school. Both of these buildings can be used independently of strictly school activities.
In the west part of the large common courtyard, there is a canteen, connected to the two schools by a covered path.
