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The project for the new primary school and gym in Spezzano aims to transform an uncultivated field in a foothill area, free of pre-existing structures, into an educational landscape. The design stems from a direct relationship with the natural context, viewing the intervention not as a mere building insertion but as an opportunity to create an open relational environment. Architecture and landscape engage in a reciprocal, generative dialogue, restoring ecological and public value to the site. The school appears as a living hill and a sinuous curve of landscape embedded in the surrounding terrain.
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The architectural layout blends with the surrounding agricultural and hilly landscape through a measured language based on integration. Compact volumes, low heights, horizontal lines, and natural materials support perceptual continuity between built form and landscape. Outdoor spaces—vegetable gardens, educational gardens, and informal paths—act as landscape devices that extend the educational function beyond the building, creating threshold spaces that mediate between inside and outside and promote experiential learning in close contact with nature.
The project adopts an integrated approach to sustainability, addressing construction, systems, and landscape design. The building, classified as nZEB and powered exclusively by locally sourced renewable electricity, reduces the urban heat island effect through green roofs and permeable surfaces. Indoor comfort is ensured by passive design strategies, controlled ventilation, natural lighting, and high-performance materials with EPD certification. The project includes rainwater harvesting systems and the use of recyclable and disassemblable components, minimizing the building’s life cycle ecological footprint. Real-time energy performance data will be displayed on a screen accessible to all, turning building monitoring into an educational tool to raise environmental awareness among pupils.
The project is guided by landscape principles of permeability, visual continuity, and integration with the ground. The single-story school is organized around a central green courtyard, which—together with the educational garden—serves as the relational core of the design. A fluid path weaves through vegetable gardens, reading areas, permeable surfaces, and shaded spaces, turning the outdoors into an active pedagogical device. Vegetation is selected for its resilience to continental climate conditions, creating welcoming and seasonal environments where biodiversity becomes a learning tool, encouraging observation and care among pupils. The landscape strategy includes a variety of natural habitats—trees, grasslands, and wetlands—positioned to attract diverse fauna. The use of native and naturalized species enhances the ecological quality of the garden, making it an immersive learning environment where school and nature intersect. A green roof reduces the building’s visual impact and reinforces its integration into the landscape, emphasizing continuity between architecture and terrain. The building becomes an environmental infrastructure embedded in the natural slope. Interior spaces contribute to this perceptual approach through color choices and zenithal lighting, reinforcing the idea of a school that merges with its surroundings to foster environmental responsibility and a sense of belonging.
“We succeeded in developing the project in one of the most beautiful areas of our municipality, a green and natural setting that will become an integral part of the new school building.” (Luca Busani, Former Councillor for Educational and School Policies of the Municipality of Fiorano Modenese)
TECO+partners is an architectural firm based in Bologna, founded by six partners and supported by a multidisciplinary team of 30 collaborators, including architects, engineers, and designers.
Environmental quality lies at the heart of their design philosophy, supported by extensive research and hands-on experience with renewable energy systems, bio-architectural techniques, biocompatible materials, and passive climate control strategies.
The firm operates in Italy and internationally, designing educational and sports facilities, residential complexes, office buildings, and industrial structures.
TECO+partners has designed 47 schools of all levels, from kindergartens to university campuses, conceiving architecture as a companion in the journey of growth and discovery.
In many projects, the studio has addressed the relationship between school and landscape as an integral part of the learning process.
