Eco-sustainable Kindergarten and Urban Renewal in the old quarter of Pietralata
The nursery school building has been realized within the urban renewal plan “Contratto di Quartiere” of the old quarter started in 1998 by the Municipality and ATER, the Territorial Housing Company of the Municipality of Rome. The building is divided into two sections: a nursery for 60 children and a multifunctional center for educational services for families and children.
Its construction responds to the need of creating an important civic structure and also a new attractive pole of the neighborhood. The multifunctional center is also a place for families and children for meeting and entertainment.
The building covers 1,057 square meters, while the green area covers 1,998 square meters. The building plan includes three wings of different length shaped in a sort of long “Y” lying on a thin green strip. A large room with a complex low hip-roof opens at the wings intersection.
The building is all one level with an internal height of 3,00 meters, except for the central room where the ceiling rises up to 6,10 meters.
The nursery is located at the north-east side of the building, and is divided into two wings enclosing a large triangular garden. The multifunctional center occupies the south-west wing; its garden looks at the small public square neighboring green areas and the churchyard. The main hall faces the lateral road through a wide bioclimatic glass façade with horizontal metallic shielding, acting as a beacon of light at night.
The whole structure is based on an eco-sustainable approach of materials and techniques. The structure is based on traditional masonry with thick reversed insulation made of cork layers. The windows are made of wood while the floor coverings are made of natural rubber. There are heating coils under the floor, which contribute to heat the whole building together with a system of chimneys for ventilation and solar energy collectors, interacting with the energy accumulation in building walls.
