relief to the families and workers/parents who use them. We had the full client’s cooperation, motivated to build a model structure of its kind to be made available for its staff to improve their living and working conditions. It was a very hard job, but we finally made it happen with adequate financial means, and we received respect from the client as a result of the project’s quality. The guiding principles were very hard to combine: the existing space and the educational quality of the project. V.T. 08: The building, built by means of a system developed in concrete, is strongly characterized by the continuous panels of reinforced concrete that face the facades, and the interiors are characterized by all those spaces that have derived from the transformation and adaptation of the existing ones. Can we affect the children’s growth through architecture? In what way? SPSK+: Absolutely. The architecture, the quality and definition of the space affects the child’s development, especially that of children under three years of age. Each area was developed based on the children and educators’ needs, and the colors were selected based on the activities that were carried out in various areas. The proportions, light and choice of materials are all involved in the conscious perception of the growing child. The part of the building housing the nursery has been heavily processed, reinforced and the openings on the southwest side have been enlarged in order to bring natural light into the environments inhabited by children. The finishes have all been revised to soften the austere character of the building complex. The result was wonderful, but the most important thing is the feedback from children’s parents. The nursery was also opened to the neighborhood, because that district had no equivalent structures and this allowed us to extend the benefits of such actions to an area not designed to give decent answers to its citizens.
4 films to watch: Matteo: Blade Runner, Ran by Kurosawa, Avatar (not because it is beautiful, but because it is strong), Metropolis Carola: Blade Runner, Guerre Stellari, Inside Man, Una Giornata Particolare 3 books to read: Matteo: La Maga delle Spezie, Maledetti Architetti, Lost in America Carola: Io Charlotte (original French title: A Life of Creation), Integrated Architecture by Gropius (a great architect was also a great master), La Fata Carabina by Pennac and fourth, Franca Helg “La gran dama dell’architettura italiana”. 2 young architects: Matteo: Can I vote for us? Carola: It’s difficult, the new generation is selling itself better than us. I appreciate Iotti/Pavarani’s work and others like them involved in major projects. 1 master to re-discover: Matteo: The master, Mies, Zen architecture to me. Carola: Charlotte Pierrande. I’ve met her once in Paris, in a bookstore where she was presenting her biography. She is a vibrant woman, asking you things and making personal dedications on the book. A woman is a great architectural motor for many projects. www.spsk.it
Questions in bursts: 5 websites: Matteo: I’m an avid explorer of the internet, but it’s difficult to recall something that impressed me… Ecodazoo is a very funny website. Carola: I’m surfing in a didactic manner so I can recommend architecture websites such as www.dezeen.com, www.vg-hortus.it and www.mimoa.eu
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