Scuola primaria e secondaria Stefanacci, Florence, Italy

Exemplary design categories: comfort, community use and involvement, cultural and historical value

How the facility meets the needs of education and communities:
The new two-storey building has teaching and learning facilities on the ground floor, and offices for teachers and administration on the first floor. The building has a modern character with contemporary interior spaces. It provides a contrast to the original 1950s and 1960s school buildings, but is in complete harmony with the traditional Tuscan architecture of the town and the surrounding built environment. Constructed in pietra serena (a grey sandstone), plaster, wood and marble, the building is organised in two interlocking volumes. One volume encloses the auditorium and provides the external walls for three sides of the building. The second block is offset within the first volume to create a pleasing asymmetry. Inside the building every space is designed to make users comfortable. All the windows are positioned to allow natural light to enter the rooms and offer good views of the surroundings. Skylights bring daylight into the two double-height spaces: the auditorium and the main corridor. The auditorium serves as a multipurpose space for community use.

Activity Areas: 2 auditoriums, administrative and headmaster’s offices, computer science room, science classroom, library

Project costs: EUR 775,000.00

Source: "Designing for Education: Compendium of Exemplary Educational Facilities 2011"