artico fracassi wraps italian school in glass and perforated encasing to bring the outdoors in

artico frassi and marco zito complete middle school in buttrio

Bordering a woodland and river in Buttrio, Italy, Artico Fracassi and Marco Zito have completed a middle school and sports hall that embraces the tranquility of its natural context. It sits as the latest development of an educational masterplan alongside a kindergarten and primary school, presenting a holistic educational environment for students from grades 11-13.

Acting as a transition between the natural environment and the mineral surfaces of the intervention, it is wrapped in an expansive glazed facade and a perforated encasing that merges the indoors and outdoors. Stepping inside, a double height atrium and circulation system with no defined corridors shapes its distinct character. Here, intended as a collective and active space, students are encouraged to interact and work in intuitive, flexible ways.

a fluid circulation system without defined corridors

Connecting the educational facilities including classrooms and labs with the circulation spaces, is a fluid system that allows for innovative and dynamic learning strategies. The team at Artico Fracassi and architect Marco Zito have extended the school’s interiors to the outdoor landscape in a seamless transition. The ground floor is highly transparent, facilitating the perception of both thresholds as a whole. Along the elevation of the first floor volume, as double skin filters in sunlight, the differentiated stretch guaranteeing an optimal protection from sun rays while allowing students an expansive connection with the environment outside.

project info:

name: Middle School + Sport Hall

location: Buttrio, Udine, Italy
architect: Artico Fracassi, Marco Zito

photographer: Marco Cappelletti

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