The Rainbow School

View of the Rainbow façade from the outdoor playground space.

Project details

• Project Name: The Rainbow School
• Location of Site: Prato
• Design Team: Design Architect: Alessandro Calvi Rollino
• Collaborator: Micaela Tolio
• Project Type: Kindergarten
• Client: Comune di Prato
• Site Area: 5600 sq m
• Built-up Area: 1550 sq m
• Cost of Construction: 1.650.000,00 €
• Date of competition: April, 2008

Green corridor towards the agricultural landscape.

Words from the architect

The requirement for the project was to build a 6-classroom kindergarten, to be completed in two phases, giving prominence to the existing natural landscape, to the environmental impact, to sustainable building solutions and to pedagogical issues.

Young runner inside the Rainbow.

The design project is strictly influenced by the surrounding landscape; the entire building with its main facade, is oriented toward South because of bioclimatic reasons ( radiant heating and solar photovoltaic modules ); the space between the facade and an opposite green artificial hill creates a corridor toward the agricultural landscape. Outdoor space flowing into the school has a psycho-pedagogical function, since children feel comfortable with the view of a familiar landscape: Learning is made easier. The school is a symbolic centre for the life of the children and it becomes a landmark because of the Rainbow Facade, an element for playing and a stimulus for the fantasy.

View from the wooden pedestrian’s entrance path.

Materials and colors have some pedagogical purposes with particular interest to visual, acoustic, haptic, olfactory and ecological qualities. The activity rooms are set into an higher glass curving volume; their structure is made of timber while the envelope is made of rough lime plaster and the finishing floor is linoleum; common floor spaces are covered with solid Oak (indoor) and Ipe (outdoor); cladding for the facilities' spaces is made of reddish brown copper. Each activity inside the school has an own peculiar space for color and material so that the children easily understand differences and hierarchies among the spaces.

View of the north side.

The building develops horizontally throughout the allotment: the high glass volume acts as a plaza for common activities while the activity rooms and the facilities spaces (service department, teacher office, parent room, storage) are set into it.

Outdoor space flows into internal atrium space.

View of a typical Activity Room.

Aerial view of the model.

Credits

• Text: Alessandro Calvi Rollino
• Photographs: Alessandro Calvi Rollino