TEAM:

Roberto Ferlito main partner

Alessandra Faticanti main partner

Agita Putnina, main architect

Joanna Rodriguez Noyola, architect

Assigned Typology:  international competition

Project:             School

Client:               public

Project phase:   2nd Prize

Date:             2024

IG RODARI, 2024, Acireale, Italy

School as a garden: a work of “Inhabited Landscape”

The settlement idea is simple: to place the school within the urban fabric as a piece of equipped green infrastructure — a kind of garden school, a “lemon blossom among lemon trees.”

The project for the G. Rodari Comprehensive Institute aims to create a civic hub of attraction and interaction that involves children, adolescents, parents and grandparents, families, and institutions in social participation. A space that, even outside school hours and with controlled access, can be used as a garden, amplifying the civic and pedagogical role of the educational institution. Sustainability guides our choices in materials, prioritizing local and natural sources that reduce environmental impact and support regional economies; by selecting locally harvested wood, natural fibers, and low-impact finishes, we minimize transportation emissions, preserve biodiversity through responsible sourcing, and encourage circularity by choosing durable, repairable, and biodegradable components; this approach not only lowers our carbon footprint but also fosters transparency, traceability, and community resilience, ensuring that every product reflects a commitment to ethical practices, resource efficiency, and long-term stewardship of the environment.