Freedom and order are two seemingly contradictory words that drive at the essence of learning: children need to be free to express themselves, to learn, to play, and to develop social relationships, while order helps structure the child’s conquest of knowledge and independence. The relationship between the drive for freedom and the need for order is the key concept behind the design strategy for the new school complex spanning the ages from 0 to 14 years old.

Like a necklace of precious stones, the proposal strings together the archipelago of 5 school buildings in a sea of green—imagining the school as a park in dialog with the nearby “Parco Nord,” one of the city of Milan’s important parks whose southernmost tip begins at the site of the competition. The school buildings are “green bodies” governed by a double, sinusoidal geometry whose balconied facades and habitable rooftops are lined with plants, small trees and other landscape elements. From North to South, the school buildings follow the ages of the children, beginning with the nursery school, continuing onward with the kindergarten through to the elementary school to then complete the sequence at the middle school. The auditorium, library and association rooms (cultural hub) are integrated into one building to foster a sense of community within the new school district, but also to create a place of social exchange for the local community. The sports hall, also open to the public outside school hours completes the succession of school buildings, and gives out onto the nearby, public green spaces just south of the site. The three urban axes of the existing streets via Candoglia, via Semplicità, and via Trevi are redesigned to provide safe pedestrian and bike access to the school area at the main entry areas of the cultural hub, the primary school, and the sports hub.

The design of each building curates the relationship between innovative learning practices and innovative learning spaces to create a fluid, dynamic “learning landscape” that fosters a permeability between the inside and out. Courtyards, terraces, patios, loggias, and rooftop gardens interweave natural light, greenery and fresh air into the schools to create a stimulating environment for all.

Architects: MoDusArchitects (Matteo Scagnol, Sandy Attia)

Project team: Laura Spezzoni, Martina Salmaso, Giorgio Cappellato, Miriam Pozzoli, Anna Valandro, Filippo Pesavento, Andrea Rech, Elisabetta Bruni

Client: City of Milan

2-phase international design competition: 2019

Design development: 2020-2021

Construction documents: 2021-2022

Start construction: 2022

Landscape: João Nunes, PROAP

Structural engineering: Holzer & Bertagnolli Engineering

MEP engineering: Coprat Milano