Nursery and kindergarten in S. Valentino

The project is part of the masterplan for the new school complex and continues the dialogue with the building that houses the primary and secondary schools. Its goal is to create an architecture that engages harmoniously with the surrounding landscape, enhancing it while opening generous views toward the Majella mountain range. The intervention is measured and respectful of its context, defined by simple geometries and soft curves that give the building a balanced, complementary character in relation to the main structure, echoing its materials, colors, and distinctive features.

The new kindergarten and nursery are located in the lower portion of the site, in continuity with the future high school complex. The access system has been redesigned to optimize circulation: the existing road is widened and connected to the new southern route, which leads directly to the main entrance. This entrance opens onto a paved forecourt conceived as a small public square — a space for gathering and community interaction.

The building is shaped through a play of concave lines that establish a dialogue between architecture and landscape. A compact volume is carved at its center by an internal courtyard — the visual and functional core of the complex — which opens toward the valley through two large circular openings. The plan develops as a quadrilateral layout with three curved façades and one straight side, the latter forming a natural continuation of the upper building’s elevation. The façades alternate earthy, textured surfaces with large glazed areas, ensuring abundant natural light and a seamless visual connection with the outdoors. The four-pitched roof reinterprets the traditional inward-sloping “impluvium” form in a contemporary key, combining functional water drainage with a distinctive architectural identity.

The interior spaces are designed to be both functional and welcoming: the kindergarten classrooms face south, directly connected to the atrium and outdoor play areas, while the nursery occupies the eastern, more intimate and sheltered wing. Along the northern side are the dining hall, staff rooms, and secondary entrances. The main entrance, slightly recessed from the façade, leads into a bright atrium that serves as the heart of the building, from which all educational spaces unfold.