Germogli - Primary School Addition | Vito Distante

The new addition for the Primary School in Boltiere is shaped like a foreign body compared to the existing building, but it grafts in and develops from this one, like a sprout, opening itself in the southern side of the plot.
Children, the future patrons of the building, are sprouts as well: this bright and enlighted volume has been designed for them, the building surrounds nature and opens itself to the neighborhood; but at the same time it’s a safe place where attending all the scheduled activities.

From the outside the building is shaped as four monopitched white volumes with a concrete base to contrast with the existing school. The joint/shadow gap between the two buildings make this contrast more clear.

The new addition is arranged in four zones, on two levels: one of these branches is the new entrance hall and links the two buildings. The cross-shaped plan allow the building to lay down among the existing trees to minimize its presence.
From the entrance room, where a big window opens toward the garden in the basement, you reach the staircase hall, the heart of the addition: here the helicoidal staircase plays a prominent role and the sloped ceiling and the skylight let the light spread out.
At ground floor four classrooms (approx. 20 students each) and toilets take place. Clasrooms are in the three branch and face mostly southward.

Cross-shaped plan separates the common garden into four zones: North-East and South-West there are the entrance and a protected garde; South-East and North-West there are two undergrounds gardens.
The North-West one give light to the multi-purpose room and the South-East one is the access to the basement floor.
From this courtyard the entry brings you to a semicircular room, a public entrance hall, before entering the multi-purpose room, opened to public meeting and events.

The underground garden has also an educational vegetable garden so children can be more aware regarding food and environment.
The roof is a green roof and acts as “balance” for the loss of surface due to new building (in this way, from the second floor windows of the existing school, students will see a meadow).