For Canova they thought of even greener spaces, with a tree-lined avenue leading to the main building and a large library to stimulate the students’ inspiration. For Mazzotti they hypothesized long rows of windows to punctuate the external facades, completely modifying the visual impact. As for the Duke of Abruzzi, here is the idea of large halls visible from the outside. And the Sansovino di Oderzo? A basketball court to enhance physical education lessons. These are some of the 20 “scholastic regeneration” projects developed by the fourth year students of the faculty of architecture in Venice (Iuav) and exhibited yesterday in the foyer of the Province. Projects – 20 selected out of a total of 360, involving thirty or so institutes in the Marca – that design the school of the future, including brighter classrooms, more flexible and technological spaces, functional to teaching more devoted to laboratories.
A school that reorganizes volumes on the basis of denatality, focusing above all on a stronger link with the city and its residents. All this takes shape in the context of the ministerial initiative “School to live in”, coordinated by the Iuav and other universities including the Politecnico di Milano. A research work that, even in the name, suggests a new vision of school classrooms, elevated above all to a “place of life” as well as of study. A reflection that sees Treviso at the forefront, with the support of the Region and Province. This gives rise to the idea of school that young people have today, given that the authors of the projects – all university students – left high school only a few years ago. But what emerges from the drawings? “It is more advantageous to work on the existing rather than demolish”, underlines Alberto Ferlenga, lecturer and former rector of Iuav, referring to the monumental and often constrained buildings of many schools, “the projects intertwine sustainability and aesthetic improvements, not forgetting the transformation of spaces to light of the demographic decline “. The mayor Mario Conte, speaking at the conference promoted at Sant’Artemio, makes comparable arguments: «The school of the future will require us to reorganize the complexes in the light of the birth rate. We will have to overcome the parochial logic according to which each town or district must necessarily have its own complex. Supra-municipal projects will be needed ». Carmela Palumbo, director of the regional school office, adds: “It will be necessary to adapt the complexes to a more innovative teaching, devoted to digital and experiential aspects”. The projects on display – the exhibition at Sant’Artemio will close on 3 November – remain an academic exercise for now, but could offer interesting ideas: «A great opportunity, it makes us understand how children see school. A little treasure to keep in mind, thinking about the chances of the NRP », says Martina Bertelle, Vice President of the Province.