Aacm’s kindergarten in Northern Italy becomes a true agora for children

Located in the town of Piove di Sacco near Padua, the project draws from the region’s cultural and architectural heritage to craft a contemporary educational space. The design revives the archetype of the "Casone Veneto"—a historic dwelling used by farmers and fishermen, recognizable for its steep thatched roofs made of straw and marsh reeds—and translates it into a modern language of solids and voids. This interplay invites children to explore, observe, and imagine, weaving together memory and play.

Set within a landscaped park, the compact cluster of buildings is wrapped in vermilion terracotta shingles that stand out vividly against the greenery. Three truncated pyramid-shaped volumes, echoing the area’s vernacular architecture and housing the classrooms, rise above the rectangular base. Their color and form evoke the iconic Casa das Histórias Paula Rego museum in Cascais, designed by Eduardo Souto de Moura. While the exterior appears monolithic, the structure is carved with patios dedicated to outdoor learning directly connected to the classrooms. At its heart lies a central space conceived as an “agora”—a communal place for social interaction and informal learning—around which the various blocks are arranged like buildings surrounding a public square. Visual connections and layers of transparency blur the distinction between indoors and outdoors. From the central shared space, one can glance into the classrooms, the patios, and further out into the garden. Meanwhile, each classroom opens upward toward the sky through a zenithal light chimney, encouraging children’s curiosity and sense of discovery.

Inside, rough wood-fiber ceiling panels evoke the straw roofs of the traditional Casoni, while light timber floors add warmth and tactility, creating an atmosphere that is both comforting and deeply connected to the region’s architectural roots.