Sixth International Congress on the Development of

Physical Infrastructure in Education

San Luis Potosì, Mexico – 17th - 19th october 2007

“Intelligent” Primary School Project in Italy

By Giorgio Ponti – Cisem (Italy)

Fulvia Nidasio, Roberto Serlenga, IT Graphic Studio Techneidos

Construction work is about to begin on a new “intelligent” primary

school for 300 students (later to be expanded for 600) in the

Municipality of Solaro in the Province of Milan, Italy. This is the first

primary school building in Italy designed according to the principles of

the “intelligent school” as defined by the Centre for Educational

Innovation and Experimentation of Milan (CISEM).

The characteristics of “intelligent”

educational architecture can be

summarised as follows:

1. Flexibility.

2. Multi-purpose capability.

3. Community use.

4. Inspirational and symbolic setting.

5. Design that promotes innovative

learning, is age-appropriate and caters to

students with special needs.

6. Sustainability (environmental

impact, energy saving, bioarchitecture,

comfort).

7. New technology and computer

integrated building (CIB).

8. Cost effectiveness.

9. Safe and secure environment.

10. Active disaster management

In this project, particular

attention is given to flexibility

and energy saving.

Flexibility is ensured through

the use of multi-purpose

learning modules that can be

adapted for use as

classrooms, laboratories

and/or specialised areas

simply by opening or closing

ordinary doors.

In this system, even the

connecting elements

potentially become learning

areas that can be easily

combined with other areas at

different times of the day.

The basic element of whole project is, how you have

seen, the “Didactic Module” (DM); it consists of an

octagonal space of 47.50 s.m. and 16.78 s.m. of

connective part plus 2 closets, both totally flexible

and adaptable

Closet

Mobile partition

Solar spectrum lamps

Access floor

Hollow pillar with all

the systems inside

Through a long flexibility tricks it is then possible to change very quickly the spaces purpose, in case of need (even urgent). In this plan we have planned out the possible changing in a little hospital or youth / aged hostel

Standard

room as

residence

Standard

room for 2

people

Toilet

Public

toilets

New mobile

partitions

General

medical

services or

closets

Now let’s look at some facilities and components of a typical

didactic module

In line with the theory that the environment can serve as a pedagogical

tool, energy saving has been integrated into the architecture visibly and

into the education process.

Multimedia blackboard

Connective

Computer Integrated Building

Closet

Examples of a real didactic module and part of connective,

carried out in Italy for the Educational Expo in Milan

Because of emphasis on energy saving (Zero pollution), the European Association for Renewable Energy awarded the project the 2006 EUROSOLAR First Prize in Category “E”, solar architecture and urban development (ww.eurosolaritalia.org).

The criterion for this category is “consistent and systematic experimentation in seeking an architectural language capable of integrating bioclimatic and solar technologies in a low environmental impact strategy”.

The most important aspects of the project from an energy standpoint are the following:

• High thermal insulation achieved mainly through dry-mounted multilayer panels.

• Ventilated copper roofing (for electromagnetic insulation).

• Solar chimneys.

• Facility designed with CIB.

• Ground water heat pumps.

• No emissions into the air (the building has no boiler).

• Underfloor heating/cooling with low-temperature water.

• Photovoltaic panels (on the solar chimneys) providing electric power to the heat pumps.

The images that follow show some of these important features.

Solaro primary school - Ground floor / First floor

Solaro primary school - Second floor

High thermal insulation achieved mainly through dry-mounted multilayer panels

Central cross-section

Copper

roofing

Solar chimneys Photovoltaic cells, skylights

and natural ventilation

Natural ventilation

Cross-section

Ventilated foundations against

the effect of radon gas

Solar

chimneys

Cross-section

Ample overhang of the

coverage for the

protection of the face

and an as means of

shade

Pergola

Prospetto Est

Timber Excape way

with slide

Ventilated copper roofing (for electromagnetic

insulation).

Photovoltaic cells, skylights and

natural ventilation Natural

ventilation

Closet

Heat pumps

Timber

Psychomotor activity

and greenhouse

Timber

Pergola

Copper roofing

Didactic

flexible

Module

This virtual image and the following sum up what we have seen previously and

give the idea of the whole of this “educational intelligent machine”

The use of heating pumps feeded with photovoltaic cells, and heating floor with

low temperature water allow a good modular heating system and therefore a

good flexibility and sustainability.

Photovoltaic cells, skylights and

natural ventilation

Heat pumps

Heating floor with low

temperature water

Timber

Psychomotor activity and

greenhouse

This project is the result of a joint venture between the Solaro Municipality,

CISEM and the Università Politecnico di Milano, whose Department of

Building Environment Science and Technology (BEST) was responsible for

the design (Giorgio Ponti and Ettore Zambelli architects)

And finally we see dimensions,

costs and timing:

- Area of the first segment (12 learning

modules for 300 students): 2 624

square meters gross floor area;

- Area per student: 8.7 gross square

meters;

- Projected overall cost: EURO

2.000.000 that compares with

2.840.000 USD and 30.722.800 Mexican Pesos;

- Cost per square meter of gross floor

area: EURO 762 that compares

with 1.080 USD and 11.705

Mexican Pesos;

- Beginning of work: end 2007

- Completion of work: 2009

www.giorgioponti.it