alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome

every detail in the timber university building allows the alvisi kirimoto project to become a focal point of university life.

stephen landy edited by tim spears April 10, 2023 4 min

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alvisi kirimoto reflects nearby forest in university construction

Alvisi Kirimoto collaborates with Studio Gemma to realize an educational facility within a verdant landscape for the LUISS Guido Carli university campus. The construction, placed in the heart of Rome, Italy, saw the expansion of the existing college building and a new section created from scratch, all whilst dealing with the site’s landscape constraints. The result, a treehouse-like facility clad in wooden slats and glass, reflects a small forest located to its south.

alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome - 1 — Alvisi Kirimoto collaborates with Studio Gemma to realize an educational facility

all images by Marco Cappelletti

educational hub contains direct connection with treetops

Founded in 2002, Alivisi Kirimoto + Partners is an international architectural firm whose work is synonymous with sensitive building materials and respect for nature. Rome-based architects Studio Gemma the aided design to complete the two-story educational hub. The concept stems from raising the volume, putting the top floor in direct connection with the treetops, while allowing the ground floor to house the entrance and service areas.

alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome - 2 — Alivisi Kirimoto + Partners is synonymous with a respect for nature

school building dissolves into nature

With its permeable and transparent skin, the university building dissolves into nature, evoking comparison to a classic tree house. The structure encompasses three classrooms and an amphitheater, carefully designed to be able to host various educational, cultural, artistic, and social activities. An outdoor deck has been treated with gravel flooring, encouraging study, informal meetings, and play.

alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome - 3 — the education center uses sensitive building materials

focal point for university life

‘The indissoluble link between the structure and the surrounding greenery signals an innovative approach to education which, to encourage learning, focuses on the well-being generated by the relationship with nature’, explains the architect Massimo Alvisi, co-founder of the studio.

Every detail for each color and texture was chosen to create a warm feeling for students at LUISS Guido Carli, allowing the Alvisi Kirimoto project to become a focal point of university life.

Alvisi_Kirimoto-fullsize-01 — outdoor deck has been treated with gravel

alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome - 4 — the top floor in direct connection with the treetops

alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome - 5 — the construction reflects surroundings

alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome - 6 — university is in the heart of Rome

Alvisi_Kirimoto-fullsize-02 — sits within a verdant landscape for the LUISS Guido Carli university campus

alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome - 7 — timber tones create organic feeling

alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome - 8 — materials are warm and welcoming

alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome - 9 — outdoor floor is finished with gravel

Alvisi_Kirimoto-fullsize-03 — amphitheater overlooks surrounding nature

alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome - 10 — structure encompasses three classrooms

alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome - 11 — host various educational, cultural, artistic, and social activities

alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome - 12 — Alvisi Kirimoto project can become a focal point of university life

alvisi kirimoto mirrors woodlands with treehouse-like school in rome - 13 — the university building dissolves into nature

project info:

name: New LUISS school building

architects: Alvisi Kirimoto + Partners | Studio Gemma

location: Viale Romania, 32, Rome, Italy

completion: 2022

client: Luiss Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli

contractor: ECOFAST Sistema srl

photography: Marco Cappelletti

project team: Vasiliki Maltezaki | Chiara Quadraccia | Daniel Costa Garriga | Alessandro Speranza | Federica Vola