Community centre Caltron

With a simple architecture, whose vertical wooden slats echo the rhythm of the surrounding apple orchards, Mirko Franzoso Architetto draws the line between this small urban center in Northen Italy and the agricultureal landscape.

Mirko Franzoso Architetto, Casa sociale Caltron, Cles, Trento

The project for the new Caltron community centre, in the village of Cles, near Trento (Italy) is a meeting point for the inhabitants, where children, youth, adults and seniors can meet, discuss and grow together community identity. Here life stories intersect. For this reason, the functions are designed, both for children and for elderly people, and are accessible to all.

The new building serves as a “trait d’union” between the historic town and the rural landscape, but at the same time arises as a limit to the expansion of the town and then to the indiscriminate use of land.

The new volume is a simple architecture, nestled in a natural way on the ground and a powerful base that sustains it. The building is compact and proportionate to ensure the continuity of the urban fabric of the village. The facade, with its rhythm of solids and voids punctuated by pilasters continues the succession of apple trees without altering tones and matter. The building is made entirely of wood; the north and south facades are clad with larch vertical slats, while the long fronts east and west are drawn from the vertical scan of the larch pillars. The windows are set back and protected by the facade plane to generate a continuity of the relationship between interior and exterior, as well as mitigate the effect of the sun in the inner rooms.

Underground volume supports and wraps the entire operation with its long monolithic brand built-in washed and colored concrete that embraces the parking, the playground and the social home. The local porphyry emerging from washing concrete harmonizes the hue of the wall with the natural environment of the context. Large wooden niche that holds and protects people who enter the building mitigates and lightens the authoritative presence of the long wall.

Mirko Franzoso Architetto, Casa sociale Caltron, Cles, Trento, italy — Mirko Franzoso Architetto, Casa sociale Caltron, Cles, Trento, Italy

The distribution of the interior spaces responds to the functional program defined by the public administration. The entry is made directly in the meeting room, a space completely free from clutter, flexible and modifiable according to needs; from there, through three sliding doors located on the north side you can reach all other heated rooms: bathroom, kitchen and storage. The two main spaces, kitchen and meeting room enjoying the presence of large windows that provide continuity with the exterior.

Going upstairs you will arrive in a large covered space completely free and open. This part of the building allows you to enjoy the view of the valley from a higher point than the street level. The wooden pillars that support the roof act as sun blind and increase privacy within the space. It’s possible access to the terrace directly from the west upstream street or from the common internal stairwell of the building.

This architecture, built for the whole community, offers a new perspective on the landscape, but at the same time enjoys high visibility from the town and serves as attraction.