The energy efficiency project at the "Silvio Pellico" First Grade Secondary School in the City of Varese was developed with the goal of achieving high energy standards, transforming the school complex buildings into near-zero energy buildings (nZEB). From the outset, we set ourselves the challenge of not limiting ourselves to the energy aspects, but also intervening in the seismic safety of the building, proposing an intervention that could upgrade the school complex in a comprehensive and lasting way, with a life cycle that coincides with that of the entire building.
The school building consists of two bodies on two floors, housing the teaching spaces and the gymnasium respectively, connected by a tunnel on the first floor. Within the first block, in addition to the teaching spaces, there is an auditorium accessible both directly from the school and through an independent external entrance, thus ensuring the usability of the space even during extracurricular hours.
We oriented the entire project toward the conception of an architecture that could hold a new centrality within the Varese community, while also serving as a replicable example and case study for similar interventions. The building's strong iconographic charge stems from our desire to create a structure that was both functional, contemporary and deeply connected to local tradition.
The result we wanted to achieve with this project is a building that not only meets current energy and safety needs, but also becomes a landmark for the community, offering modern and functional spaces that can serve both school and civic needs.
AESS 2021 sustainability award winning project