GSMM architetti (Giorgio Santagostino, Monica Margarido) with Stefano Farina – New seat of the Liceo Artistico A. Vittoria – Trento

PROJECT: GSMM architetti (Giorgio Santagostino, Monica Margarido) with Stefano Farina – New seat of the Liceo Artistico A. Vittoria – Trento

LOCATION: Trento, Italy

YEAR: 2018

ARCHITECT / FIRM: GSMM architetti (Giorgio Santagostino, Monica Margarido) with Stefano Farina

BUYER: Autonomous Province of Trento

SURFACE: 8.600 sqm

PRICE: € 10.500.000

DESCRIPTION:
The existing building, former headquarters of the "Aziende Agrarie" of Trento, is located in an absolutely central position, between the pre-existing city and the new district " Albere". Built in 1988-'89, it consists of a basement surmounted by two rectangular-shaped volumes. In 1998 the building was purchased by the “Provincia Autonoma di Trento” and became the seat of commercial activities and of some provincial and private offices. The project foresees the reuse of the existing structure to set up the new location of the "a. Vittoria" art high school. The building fits into the site generating a direct relationship with the scale of the territory, becoming a sign and a reference for the city. The two rectangular glass bodies of the existing building are demolished, to reduce the height of the building and propose a volume suitable for the new program. The ground floor and the underground floor are maintained and the existing concrete structures are enhanced and revealed through cleaning work. The proposal pursues the idea of incorporating the program in only three levels: in the two existing floors (basement and ground floor) and in a single upper level of new construction, keeping the total volume unchanged. Through its low height, the new A. Vittoria art high school is also looking for a more domestic scale that links it to the context and the atmosphere of the place where it is located, while maintaining its public character. The proposal solves with a clear gesture the density and complexity of the new program, organizing the spaces through a clear hierarchy and a functional affinity. In front of the main entrance, a public space open to the city is proposed. Green areas with trees define and protect the pedestrian space that becomes a square, where students and residents meet. Long seats draw the limits and define the shape of the space. The external limits of the ground floor are redefined through the creation of continuous glazed facade that ensure effective natural lighting, as well as transparency and visibility of the activities carried out from the outside. The external cladding of the new floor is instead composed of panels in composite material (a mixture of wood and cement particles) and transparent surfaces. The shape of the openings underlines the internal modularity of the structure and spaces, while giving to the building a new identity, proper for its public and institutional character.

TOTAL REPLACEMENT / DISCONTINUITY: The new functional program has completely replaced the original one.

DESCRIPTION:
The proposal pursues the idea of including the new programme in only three levels: in the two existing floors (basement and ground floor) and in a single upper level of new construction. The ground floor contains almost all the laboratories (3.LAP) and their design rooms, in particular those using heavy materials and machinery. At the same floor are organized spaces for management (4.ACOMP) and spaces for teachers and departments (5.SPI). The access area is completed by a socialisation space with a bar and cafeteria overlooking the entrance square, and with the exhibition space; while the multipurpose room is confirmed in the existing auditorium, to take advantage of the current furnishings and systems. On the first floor are all the multi-purpose laboratory classrooms (1.ALP), distributed along the limits of the new volume with openings in the facade towards the city and the territory. Two production laboratories (3.LAP), are included in this level, considering the absence of machinery and heavy material. A double system of corridor/socialisation spaces defines at the centre the basic workshops of the first three-years (2.LAB) and the library which are illuminated by a double system of patios and skylights. The program of this floor is completed by the study spaces (BOX ST) and the lockers/cabinets areas. Part of the basement is used to complete the program required for the high school. The introduction of a large longitudinal patio allows to place and illuminate some laboratory spaces (3.ALP). The high school program ends at this level with the storage room (4.6 MAG V), the Ced server and the staff changing rooms. The rest of the underground floor is occupied by the car park and technical rooms.

TOTAL CONSERVATION / CONTINUITY: The investor is the property owner.

DESCRIPTION:
The competition was organized by the “Provincia Autonoma di Trento”, current owner of the building located in Via Giusti, Trento. The aim of the competition is the redeveloping and reusing the existing structure, as it is appropriate to the needs of the "A. Vittoria art high school".

- SURFACE present NO VARIATION,

TOTAL CONSERVATION / CONTINUITY: The overall dimensions are equal to the pre-existing surface.

- VOLUME present NO VARIATION,

TOTAL CONSERVATION / CONTINUITY: The overall dimensions are equal to the pre-existing volume.

DESCRIPTION:
The existing building is subjected to an initial demolition operation, aimed at reducing its overall height. The two rectangular glass volumes above the ground floor are therefore eliminated. The ground floor and the underground floor are maintained, and only a new upper level of construction is added to them. Despite the complexity of the project, the total volume has been kept unchanged.

PREVALENT REPLACEMENT / DISCONTINUITY: The new spaces are prevalent with respect to the pre-existing spaces.

DESCRIPTION:
The volumes and all the existing spaces are largely transformed by the new intervention, through the demolition of a portion of the existing building and the revealing of the concrete structure in both floors maintained. In the two existing floors (-1 and ground floor), the raw materiality of the existing reinforced concrete structures is combined with the new interventions, consisting mainly of partition walls, and evident for their new materiality (wood, glass and polycarbonate). In the new level of construction the structure in cross laminated timber characterizes the space, together with partition walls and skylights.

BALANCE BETWEEN CONSERVATION AND REPLACEMENT: The supporting structure is composed in a balanced way by pre-existing structures and new structures.

DESCRIPTION:
The existing concrete structure of the ground floor and basement is restored to its original state and cleaned of all interventions or secondary structures, such as false ceilings, partitions, etc. This operation highlights the logic and the original constructive aspect of the building. The modular grid of the existing building allows a great flexibility and adaptability to the new distribution and expansion scenarios. The building structure allows an easy subdivision of the required program and suggests the continuity of the module (9x9m) and system also for the extension. The new level is entirely made with prefabricated and dry systems. The main structure is in wood (pillars and beams in cross laminated timber), organized according to a grid of 3x3 m, with a structural span of 6x9 m. The connection and distribution of the loads between the new structure and the existing structure underneath is made through a horizontal grid composed of HEB 200 steel profiles.

TOTAL REPLACEMENT / DISCONTINUITY: The materials chosen for the new intervention are completely different from the pre-existing ones.

DESCRIPTION:
The choice of materials is meant to respect the structural needs and the constructive choices without renouncing to the idea of comfort that the internal spaces of a school needs. In the two existing floors (-1 and ground floor), the raw materiality of the concrete structures is combined with the new interventions, which are evident for their new materiality caractherized by lightness and prefabrication, achieved by wood, glass and polycarbonate. The lighting and ventilation systems will be visible, consolidating the reasearch character of the school atmosphere. The new concrete pavement unify the various spaces, which can be modified if necessary by moving the partition walls. On the new building level (+1), the cross laminated timber structure characterizes the space, lit by patios and skylights, which enhance the lightness and costumise with a particular brightness the interior space. According to the needs of the program and following the structural grid, the space is divided through panels, which, like those of the floors below, are easily modifiable. The system is particularly effective and flexible for educational needs that may vary in both the short and long term.

TOTAL REPLACEMENT / DISCONTINUITY: The new intervention is in total contrast with the existing structures.

DESCRIPTION:
By changing function and becoming a public building, the existing structure needs a redefinition of its identity in order to become a new reference within the city. Therefore the intervention aims to achieve a dialogue with the sorrounding context by decreasing the height of the existing structure , without renouncing the public character that a school building has. The external limits of the ground floor are redefined through the creation of continuous glazed facades that ensure effective natural lighting, as well as transparency and visibility of the activities carried out from the outside. The external cladding of the new floor is composed by opaque composite panels (a mixture of wood and cement particles) and transparent surfaces. The shape of the openings underlines the internal modularity of spaces and structure, as well as a new identity that the building reveal for its public and institutional character.