architectural atelier valentino gareri presents their proposal for a sustainable, modular treehouse school designed to adapt to the post-COVID world. the project suggests a new educational building model where outdoor and indoor spaces merge with each other, generating a healthy, well-ventilated environment. furthermore, as the pandemic has encouraged the relocation of people to less dense areas, the school is also enlarged. combining several tiers (kindergarten, primary and secondary school), as well as other recreational functions (an urban plaza, a café, a library), it can become an important civic reference for any community.
name: the tree-house school
architecture office: valentino gareri
renders: ashish ojha, winston wu
parametric modeling: mirco bianchini
considering these aspects, the proposed design by valentino gareri provides a modular structure that can house all educational phases: kindergarten, primary and secondary schools. all required spaces are fitted into two rings: the massing articulation allows the creation of two courtyards and an additional habitable roof. the classrooms are located in a circle and are interlinked to the courtyards and the outdoor landscape. each 55 sqm module, is made of cross-laminated timber and corresponds to an ideal classroom of 20/25 students connected by a central corridor.
the building is designed as a tree-house, distributed through multiple levels, with indoor and outdoor spaces combined, allowing high flexibility for educational activities. the main idea is to create a school that is suspended and immersed in nature, where the relationship with nature is physically and visibly increased. this is possible thanks to the faceted facade, comprised of an alternation of solid timber panels and glazing panels. the circular perimeter features opaque panels that help block direct sunlight, while a set of transparent panels diffuse light and offer unobstructed views.
from designboom