Nursery school and kindergarten, Acqui Terme, Italy

Urban and landscape integration

The project for the new Early Childhood Center in Acqui Terme proposes a system of interconnected interior spaces and outdoor areas, all developed on a single level and linked through both physical and visual relationships. The entire site was subdivided using a grid of oblique lines, which generated the planimetric layout of the complex. The building is topped by a large unifying roof composed of gently sloping pitches that evoke the landscape of the Upper Monferrato.

Architecture and functional aspects

Based on a grid of trapezoidal polygons, the building’s structure responds to the need to create simple yet formally engaging volumes in which children can easily orient themselves and experience different spatial configurations. Typologically, the complex can be compared to a courtyard building, with classrooms and service areas arranged along the perimeter. However, unlike a traditional courtyard layout, the center is conceived as a hybrid space, formed by an alternation of enclosed areas—such as workshops and the reception zone—and open-air spaces designed as extensions that bring natural light into the heart of the structure.