35 Italians Schools to Save: the "Valdadige" Schools Designed by the Studio Architetti Valle

Italy's 20th century gave birth to a number of distinguished teachers, writers, artists and designers who dealt with early education for children, including their intellectual and sensory training and development. Some renowned figures such as Maria Montessori, Gianni Rodari, Bruno Munari, to name just a few, accompanied the transformation of Italy in those years from an agricultural based economy to an industrial society. The first laws in the country that introduced mandatory education date back to the late nineteenth century. Since then those laws have undergone numerous reforms of the norms that regulate the functioning of the national education system. There were also the important architectural examples of school buildings that accompanied and stimulated the debate on these reforms. During the 1960’s, with the measures used to determine the size of the schools, the "count per student" replaced the standard "count per classroom". These were years of economic boom in Italy, and the construction industry was developing considerably, so this regulatory measure was of great interest for its architectural consequences. The Studio Architetti Valle architecture firm (Gino Valle, Giorgio Macola) designed its schools in this historical, economic and social context. Thirty-five prefabricated schools by the firm, of particular interest for their quality and innovation, were built throughout northern Italy. In these prefabricated schools there is a strong focus on the use of colour, lighting, and spaces of aggregation aiming the quality of environment for the children. At the same time, due to the great flexibility of their prefabricated system, these schools perfectly adapt to the context in which they are located. Their size, articulation and arrangement of volumes could all be adapted to each specific circumstance. Much like children, the buildings are similar, but not identical. Today these structures no longer fulfil the current-day regulatory requirements relating to energy performance, yet their prefabricated system could easily allow for sufficient adjustments. Is their fate sealed? Will they be poorly considered and grouped together with some of the lesser quality school buildings that were mass developed and built during those same years? Will they too be demolished in order to build new and more energy-efficient buildings? Or will it instead be possible to renovate and restore the schools to uphold and preserve their important legacy?