BOTANIDO - Growing with nature: an educational ecosystem in the heart of the park
LAP architettura
Education
/
Future
The concept of BOTANIDO - Growing with nature emerged from a deep understanding of the site and its natural surroundings. Inspired by seeds sprouting in a meadow, the project features irregular volumes growing from a regular grid, forming a harmonious and colorful composition. Each unit hosts specific educational activities, reflecting the diversity and richness of nature. Set within a park in Campolongo Maggiore, the nursery blends into the landscape, becoming a symbol of growth for the community. Green roofs, natural light, and passive ventilation enhance comfort and sustainability. Like a seed nourished by the soil, the school nurtures children as they grow and flourish.
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The project integrates seamlessly into the landscape of Campolongo Maggiore, enhancing the green vocation of its urban setting. The nursery school is nestled within an existing public park, becoming a natural extension of it without disrupting its balance. The volumes, inspired by germinating seeds, interact with the vegetation and the terrain, creating a continuous educational landscape between indoors and outdoors. The northeast–southwest orientation ensures optimal sunlight exposure while shielding the building from noise pollution along Via G. Verdi. Pedestrian paths, play areas, and outdoor learning spaces strengthen the connection with the community, promoting social inclusion and transforming the nursery into an open and recognizable civic landmark
The project integrates environmental sustainability principles from the earliest design stages, adopting a bioclimatic approach. The building envelope has been optimized to maximize natural light intake and reduce the need for mechanical systems, through proper orientation, green shading, and cross ventilation. Green roofs enhance thermal insulation and manage rainwater runoff, while natural and low-impact materials ensure durability and healthy indoor environments. The design promotes soft mobility and outdoor learning, making sustainability a core part of the educational experience.
The new nursery school in Campolongo Maggiore stands out for its nature-inspired architectural language and an innovative spatial layout focused on children’s well-being and growth. The volumes, articulated at varying heights and shapes, evoke a flowering meadow: each element is unique yet part of a harmonious whole, both functionally and aesthetically. The building opens up to the surrounding park, strengthening the bond between the educational space and the landscape. Natural light, spatial flexibility, strong indoor-outdoor continuity, and attention to acoustics and comfort make the school a welcoming, stimulating, and highly recognizable place for the community.
When we design, nature shows the way—if we know how to listen, just as we must listen to children and their unspoken needs. A school created for them must grow with them. This is not merely school architecture, but educational architecture: space itself can teach, and there is beauty in caring for it. Children are like flowers in a vibrant, diverse meadow. Like plants, a school needs light, water, and care to become an ecosystem of shared growth and beauty.
Campolongo Maggiore
Italy
Comune di Campolongo Maggiore
Asilo nido
12/2026
5680 sq. m
920,000.00 €
LAP architettura
LAP architettura
IS s.r.l. - Ingegneria e Soluzioni Società di Ingegneria
Bio
LAP architettura was founded in Pescara as a laboratory for participatory architecture, a method that defines both the practice and its identity. Established in 2015 by Daniel Caramanico, Federico Sorgi, and Simone Esposito, LAP embraces a design approach rooted in active listening and community engagement.
The core of its work is school architecture: more than 20 schools built across Italy belong to the “Scuole Consapevoli” network signed by LAP—educational spaces where relationships, light, and context are central. The studio also works on public buildings, urban regeneration, and the revitalization of rural villages, in collaboration with numerous local administrations throughout Italy. Its design language is marked by the lightness of volumes, attention to landscape, and a constant dialogue between tradition and innovation. The team is made up of young professionals under 40, open to experimentation and skilled across architecture, design, urban planning, and engineering.
