Dopo Scoula, Document I - Politecnico di Milano

DOPO SCUOLA

LAB. 22-23

FRIEDRICH // HERKOMMER // JONES.

SCUOLA COLLETTIVITÀ.

Site development

Train

Highway

Pedestrian routes

Mountain trails

Property distribution

Natural ground (Residential housing)

Artificial asphalt (Industry, trade, parking area)

Schools

Water

Private farmland

Public green space

River

Analysing the weather and climate is crucial in understanding how the building can be inhabited all year round. Calolziocorte experiences significant variations in both temperature, rainfull and wind speed over the year with hot summers and colder winters and the building will need to be adapted and insulated to ensure it can be inhabited.

The warm season lasts for 3.3 months, from June 3 to September 11, with an average daily high temperature above 22°C. The hottest month of the year in Calolziocorte is July, with an average high of 26°C and low of 17,5°C The cold season lasts for 3.5 months, from November 19 to March 3, with an average daily high temperature below 9,5°C. The coldest month of the year in Calolziocorte is January, with an average low of -1°C and high of 5,5°C. Rain falls throughout the year in Calolziocorte. The month with the most rain in Calolziocorte is May, with an average rainfall of 4.4 inches. The month with the most snow in Calolziocorte is January, with an average snowfall of 1.8 inches.

Lombardia

1940s-50s AD

Scoula Elementare is built in 1969, following an influx in residential construction as industry continues to grow in the area and general population increases, causing more demand for public services. It is expanded between 1976-1980.

December 10th, Calolziocorte awarded city status by Decree of the President of the Republic,

The focus of the ‘Commune di Calolziocorte’ is on expanding the city. In recent years following the Covid-19 crisis the housing crisis has been accelerated, and the town is facing demand for social and subsidised housing. More and more people are struggling to buy homes or keep up with rising rents in the city. Commuting is becoming a more attractive solution. The vision for Calolziocorte is perhaps as an affordable and vibrant commuter town as people desire to move out of cities like Milan.

First recorded presence of Calolzio as Caluxio// Caluce.

By construction of the railway-Lecco, Bergamo-Brescia and, three years later, after the activation of the Milan -Lecco

The Barium Salt Factory by all Calolziesi known as “Fabricù”, founded in 1902 by Pietro and Domenico Cugnasca Baggioli.

888 AD

By Royal Decree. 2527 Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, are united the towns of Calolzio and Corte, Rossino and Lorentino

The railway network expands and several industries set up factories in Calolziocorte.

1927 AD 1970 AD 2002 AD 2023 AD - Future

Understanding the environment in Calolziocorte

Obvious are the remains of the Roman presence from the imperial period. Crossed by the foothills road that crossed the river Adda to Brescia, Bergamo and Como with the bridge of Olginate, which dates back to the third century AD, the settlement of Calolzio gained importance by finding in this road resource the reason for its development.

Besides the numerous sarcophagi with hinged lids and a small necropolis found in the locality of La Gerra, the discovery of the sacred marble Nachapsis dedicated to Diana deserves special attention. She was goddess of the hunt, the woods and the moon, found in the parish church of Lorentino dating from the first and second centuries AD.

In 1274, Napoleone della Torre conquered the Valle San Martino and its capital. In those years, the power of the noble feudal family of the Benaglio was strong on Calolzio. This family was, among other things, the owner of numerous castles and an ally of the Torriani in the anti-visa key. Among the numerous military and political events that followed this tragic period of internal struggles, one recalls the battle of Campo Cerese (1398) between the Guelphs of Calolzio and the Ghibellines of Olginate.

The strategic position and the presence of important railway crossings favoured the development of numerous industrial settlements in Calolziocorte, especially in the 1920s. Remember the “Sali di Bario” factory, known by all Calolziesi as “Fabricù”. In handicrafts, the artisanal production of agricultural tools and metalworking are widespread and well-known.

In these areas, there were contradictory processes of production and appropriation of space with the coexistence of small historic nuclei, large housing estates, industrial plants, self-promoted housing developments by the migrants of the 1950s and 1960s (coree), and shrinking green and agricultural areass

Also impressive is the improvement in the provision of dwellings with basic facilities: from 30% in 1951 to 99.88% in 2001. But the most important change that has occurred is in tenure regime. Homeownership tripled its share, jumping from 26.3% in 1951 to 74.3% in 2011. The picture, however, is far from euphoric. Even if housing densities have declined and housing conditions have improved, these have occurred in a context of economic crisis characterised by deterioration in employment opportunities

Since the housing reform introduced in 1971 (Law 865), responsibility for social housing has progressively passed from central to regional and local governments, with regional government being responsible for setting the objectives of social housing, and establishing regulations for management and funding.

In the beginning, large housing estates provided residences for domestic workers in skilled manual labour and white-collar employment related to the manufacturing industry. Skilled labourers were predominantly from the north-east of Italy, while unskilled labour was drawn from the south.

Understanding the industry in Calolziocorte

01.1.5 TOWN CHARACTER

Housing

Others

Use Housing

Cluster Row / Bar

Semi-public out door areas

Urb an gesture

Communal living a tmosphere

Comp act space

Multi-family house

Use Housing

Priv ate character

Use in rural areas

Limit ed possibility of use

Multiplication

U/H/L-shape combined

Use Housing, R ecreational

Formation of outdoor spaces

Con textual development

Urb an gesture

Modules

Use Housing

Space-saving Homogeneous building line

Clear orien tation

Multiplication

Comp act space

Hall High-rise

Use Trade, Industry, Medicine

Orien tation neutrality

Typology for special use

Demarcation from residences

Use Religion

Orientation

Space-defining Landmark

Use Housing

Space-saving

Homogeneous building line

Clear orien tation

U/H/L-shape

Use Housing R ecreational

Formation of outdoor spaces

Con textual development

Urb an gesture

Terraced house

Use Housing

Space-saving

Homogeneous building line

Clear orien tation

Single-family house

Use Housing

Priv ate character

Use in rural areas

Limit ed possibility of use

Bar

Use E ducation (abandoned)

Orien ted volume

Possibility of spatial clusters

Can be combined with

U H, L shapes

Amorphous shape

Use Religion

Signs in sp ace S tructural High-light Solit ary character

BCGZ GROUP - A JAZZ WAY OF DESIGNING

Arch. Baran Ciagà

Arch. Walter Barbero

Scuola Sorelle Cittadini, Curno, 1969

Multipurpose building, Bergamo, 1971

BGZ

CGZ

BGZ

Edificio per esposizione mobili, Bergamo, 1970

Convent of S. Antonio, Bergamo, 1970

Arch. Giorgio Zenoni

Arch. Giuseppe Gambiasio

GZ

BCGZ

BCGZ

Complesso residenziale Terrazze fiorite, Bergamo, 1979

Scuola Elementare, Calolziocorte, 1968

Casa di Allumino, Calolziocorte, 1966

Complesso La Felce, Bergamo, 1969

In the 1960s Italy experienced a period of social and political unrest with both strongly left and right wing ideologies existing in parallel dividing the country. In the north the majority was held by the Christian Democratic party which held a leftist-centralist ideology. This was derived from the Catholic church which remained dominant throughout the 20th century.

Within the broader leftwing political sphere there was a large number of socialist and communist movements. This included the architects of the building who all subscribed to a communist ideology. In this sense the Scuola was designed aligning with a typical socialist manifesto, prescribing form through function and creating communal and flexible spaces at the centre of the programme.

The majority of the population were Italian nationals, with only 3% of local people from other countries.

Calolziocorte has a vastly contrasting socio-political context today. Fundamentally the leading political party is Lega Nord which derives from six regionalist movements and is strongly right wing

The political climate in the north of Italy is dominated by conservation and regionalist ideology, with some threads of antisouthernist and anti globalisation and centralisation.

The majority of residents remain of Italian descent although there is a small fraction of foreign nationals notably from North Africa and Eastern Europe as well as China and South America.

Alongside permanent immigrants there is a small percentage of non-permanent residents either long stay tourists or students.

Catholicism is still the dominant religion and is still practiced by most residents.

A crucial consequence of the political and social shift is that the Scuola is left without the context in which it was built and designed for. With, no-longer, a widespread vision for a communist-socialist Italy, the building fails to accommodate modern life and education systems and this is a key reason behind the buildings closure.

The era of unrest in the late 60s reflected shifting political and social views of the era which were reflected by the architect’s themselves and are reflected in the school’s design. The main causes of unrest regarding education were:

An increase in students following the order on compulsory education up to age 14 in Italy in 1962. This however led to a strain on the now over-populated education services which historically had been carried out part-time by local community members. In 1968 protests began regarding the bias in higher education towards the upper classes and the increase in fees and came to a head in the Hot Autumn of 1969.

Public funding was generally low in the field of education and to meet the demand for new facilities for the influx in students the government sought cheaper solutions through standardisation and concrete modular construction.

Teaching was still very unequal between genders and girl’s studies focused on home-making while boy’s on vocational skills.

In the 1950s and 60s Montessori style education grew in popularity, the movement promoted independent style of learning for children which involved learning through doing, working in small focused groups and providing children with access to nature and play. The school was designed in-line with these principals primarily:

Furniture was designed to be at the heights and size of children, allowing them a greater amount of independence and autonomy in their environment.

The traditional classroom was reorganised into focused learning spaces. This was done in the school’s design through split-levels which divided teaching space from interaction focuses spaces.

The connection with nature and play was crucial to Montessori teaching, the buildings integration into the landscape created different play spaces and the large windows provides access to daylight and views of the surrounding green space.

All four architect’s were practicing at the time within a socialist mode of thinking and designing. Alike to many designers of the time in a post Facist Italy they turned to social movements as the vision of the ideal future. The school features several design principals key to social design:

Free plans and open spaces created communal and flexible spaces for the intention of gathering and sharing resources between the building. In the case of the school the lower ground rooms were intended to be used flexibly for events, group activities and communal teaching.

The modular and repetitive plan was commonplace, providing order and logic to buildings and utilising new technologies of standardisation in pre cast concrete elements. In comparison in section the building becomes more complex with split levels, double height space and cantilevered or raised floor plates.

New technological advancements of the early mid century were accelerated by wartime innovation in both the first and especially the second world wars. These events led to faster innovation in methods of standardisation, modulation and production which influenced several buildings of the time. The greatest innovation came in the form of reinforced concrete which allowed the following principles to be developed in modern buildings:

The use of precast concrete allowed the creation of several fluid and organic forms previously impossible or costly. In the school circular and semi-circular windows are used to create playful interest appropriate of the elementary school programme, this is possible due to the pre casting process. Modulation and standardisation reduced costly in buildings and were made possible with precast elements made off site Reinforced concrete allowed much larger spans which permitted the creation of open plan spaces and raised floor plates as seen in the school.

Protests and unrest.

Emergence of Montessori education.

The Architect’s political ideology. Technology + Innovation.

ARCHITECTURAL INFLUENCES

Ex. Couv ent Sainte-Marie De La Tourette, Le Corbusier, 195 7, France - Eveux-Sur-L’arbresle

Inspired by integration of building within the landscape, BCGZ took inspiration from La Tourette in France which sits within a very similar sloped topography, using linear concreate columns to give the illusion of the massing projecting from the hillside.

Relationship with the sloped topography. +

Use of circular windows.

Ex. Dino Gavina Showroom, Carlo Scarpa 1963, It aly - Bologna.

Several of the members of BCGZ were tutored and mentored by both Carlo Scarpa and Franco Albini and their influence is seen in a number of their works. BCGZ adopted the use of circular windows in two of their main projects including the school, a feature that was enabled by the use of pre cast concrete.

Ex. Scuola Elemen tare, Marco Introini 1971, Italy -Olgiate Comasco

Schools and especially elementary school design of the time was heavily influenced by technological advancements which allowed elements such as skylights to be used to bring light into programmatic areas such as circulation corridors. Introini’s use of a diagonal plane of skylights characterises the form of the school design and is mirrored at a smaller scale by BCGZ.

Colour palette.

Le Corbusier and other architects of the era defined a specific set of appropriate colours for use in buildings dictated by three theories, using natural colours to create atmosphere, using synthetic colours for contrast or to alter surfaces to the eye. This book of 1931 and reedition in 1956 contained 63 selective hues The building’s red hue was extracted from this palette.

Cluster plan typology.

Use Munkegaard School, Arne Jacobsen, 195 7, Denmark -Gentofte

Championed by technological advancements which allowed the standardisation of components, repeating modules became commonplace. This classroom typology was also spurred by Montessori schools alike to Munkegaard.

Circulation style.

Ex. Scuola elemen tare al quarterie Comasina 1956 Italy - Comasina, Milano

Historically education building typology consisted of classrooms laid around a spinal or enveloping corridor and circulation was very linear and programmatic. Scuola adopted a dynamic style of circulation in a cyclical flow for parent pick up and drop off.

Ex. Delf t Montessori School, Herman Hertzberger 1960 The Netherlands - Delft.

The use of split levels rose in popularity during the mid-century and was used to create zones within linear and free plan spaces made possible by increased spans between reinforced concrete structure. Scuola uses split level to divide teaching and independent Montessori learning spaces.

Use of ribbon windows.

Ex. Nyager Elementary School, Arne Jacobsen, 195 9, Denmark - Rødovre, Copenhagen

Ribbon windows and non structural external walls were made possible by the use of reinforced concrete and often used to highlight the modernity of a building and flood spaces with natural daylight. In Scuola alike to Jacobsen’s Elementary school high-level ribbon windows bring light into the deep plan.

Ex. Unit é d’habitation, Le Corbusier 1952 France - Marsielle

Split-level classroom typology.

Skylights in circulation space.

1968

1969 - 1973

1976 - ?

? - 2007

GSEducationalVersio

In the first model submitted by BCGZ (probably the model of the competition phase), the building is already planned with 10 classrooms. The overall layout conveys a search for expressiveness and also diversifies the inevitable seriality of some components with targeted solutions: the staircases present their angled geometries, the entrances and floor passages follow the heights of the grassy slope rather than correcting it. In BCGZ’s first design, each cluster adapts to the height of the slope.

In the first construction phase, the municipality implemented seven modules; the three modules facing Corso Europa were not implemented in the first phase. The school as an architectural idea was planned by BCGZ in such a way that it can be endlessly extended linearly from the topography.

The first three modules already planned on the street Corso Europa will serve as an extension. The access corridor that connects the classrooms was extended to the south, classrooms and the vertical access including sanitary facilities were connected to it. In the second construction phase, the technical room was also installed with a low-pressure steam heater and the corresponding chimney.

The school has not been expanded since the 1970s, although this would have been in the spirit of the architects BCGZ. In the northern part of the building, the round windows were sealed. The balance of the facade is thus no longer existent and in the future it is conceivable to open the windows again. The trees in the west have grown over the building, which disturbs the lighting through the upper windows in the west. Thus the classrooms and corridor are darkened. In the course of time, it would certainly make sense to trim the trees or remove them altogether.

1. Design

2. Firs t Construction Phase

3. Under C onstruction

3. Second C onstruction Phase

BUILDING EVOLUTION

1968

In the architects’ first design, the foremost module facing Corso Europa consists only of the classroom on the second floor. The building closes without windows towards the south. The technical room including the lowpressure steam heater was already planned in the design and is an integral part of BCGZ’s design.

GSEducationalVersio

1969 - 1973

In the first construction phase, the municipality implemented seven modules; the three modules facing Corso Europa were not implemented in the first phase.

The building continues to close off on the south side without windows. In addition, the building is completely closed off from the street Corso Europa by a massive wall that reaches from the second floor to the ground. Only the entrance for the cars (ramp) offers an opening of the building.

1976 - ?

In the second construction phase, three more modules will be built, as envisaged in the architects’ first design. In addition, the first module facing the street changes in comparison to the first design by adding a first floor (room 1.1.), which makes the cubature appear heavier and the open space under the first modules is lower than in the first planning phase. The south façade is probably completely closed directly after the second construction phase, as in the architects’ first designs.

The technical room and the associated chimney are part of the south view of the second construction phase.

? - 2007

After the second construction phase, the south façade hardly developed any further. The car entrance was closed and equipped with a gate, and can now only be used by pedestrians.

The architects opted for a corridor for a window on the south facade to provide sufficient light in the corridor. In the first draft, the building ended, as in the first construction phase, with a closed wall, which corresponds to a logical continuation of the concept of the non-directional building and the similar modules.

Due to different radiators, it can be assumed that there were various technical updates up to the year 2007.

1. Design 2. Firs t Construction Phase

3. Under C onstruction 3. Second C onstruction Phase

Visible traces

1. East façade: Visible colour difference in the plaster

The difference in the plaster could be due to a different plaster or colour. Another reason could be a different insulation of the buildings, which could have led to a different discolouration of the plaster over the years.

2. Window frame: Different quality

The window sill and the window frames are clearly different from each other in the east façade. This is due to the different materials used in the two construction phases. It is interesting that in the second construction phase obviously cheaper material was used, the material rusts faster.

3. Different window frame on the south façade

The window on the south façade has a different window frame than the other windows of the building. It is much narrower and not painted green. This indicates that the window was added after the second phase of construction. Cracks also run from this window through the façade (towards the east), which could also indicate a later opening of the façade.

4. Wall of the 1st construction phase

The continuous wall of the first construction phase is clearly visible against the wall of the second construction phase. It can be assumed that this continuous wall has a load-bearing function.

5 Height and texture difference on the roof elevation

The different construction phases are clearly visible on the roof. The bitumen membrane does not run through, there is a minimal difference in height.

6. Difference in the ageing of the façade

The façade of the staircase (west façade) of the first construction phase is clearly more decayed than the façade of the second construction phase. As with the east façade, there is also a clear difference in the paintwork.W

2. Window frame: Different quality

5. Height and texture difference on the roof elevation

6. Difference in the ageing of the façade

3. Different window frame on the south façade

Concept

“If you know exactly what you are going to do, why do it? In the known, there is no longer any interest in doing anything else.” - Picasso

The architects BCGZ designed a new architectural typology of the school. It should fit into the landscape, not the other way around. It should be free and democratic and reinvent the school. In this way, the access ramp has become a collective space that passes under the whole organism and makes advantageous use of the emptiness caused by the horizontality of the building. The classroom modules originate from the same idea, but are each individual by adapting to the topography. Scattered light falls through the skylights as in an artist’s studio and the classrooms with small staircases, views and vistas are designed on the scale of a child.

Scuola elementare pubblica // Public Primary School

Typology Architecture for residential, service and commercial buildings; school

Use Former primary school

Reference dates 1968 - 2007

Architects Gambirasio Giuseppe; Barbero Walter; Cia gà Baran; Zenoni Giorgio.

Legal status Public authority o wnership

Via Santi Cosma e Damiano 53 - Sala, Calolziocorte

Geometrical Survey - Following Site Visit.

“The building body is placed orthogonally to the access road and develops its considerable length in the depth of the lot, obtained by “eroding” the slope for a necessary and sufficient space, thus obtaining to minimize the emergence of the volume in the wide around which, at the time of construction, was on lawns and trees. The building type features elements of the traditional school, such as the internal distribution corridor overlooked by the classrooms, however revisited with the insertion of four external stair bodies that create “clusters” available to the classrooms. Another important innovative element is the section of the roof, shaped in a “shed” facing north to exploit optimal light from an artist’s “atelier” is still reported in a document recovered by the councilor Pamela Maggi, architect by profession, a sorry for the “end” imagined for the property but certainly not in contrast with the decision taken by the administration, in the awareness of the bad resting, leaving appropriate gates; the casual use of geometry in the determination of the shape returns to the north with the 45-degree square of the anti-baths that determines in elevation the volumetric play of the vertices that harmonize and balance the complex. The overall system transmits a search for expressiveness, also diversifying the inevitable seriality of some constituent elements, with targeted solutions: so the stairs exhibit their angular geometries, the entrances and passages on the ground follow the dimensions of the grassy slope rather than grinding it, the double sequence of windows on the upper floors presents differentiated fields and scans according to the classroom destinations”.

- Architect Ottavio Federic, 2020 (Source: Leccoonline.com)

C Partial section looking west

Photo elevations 2023

The southern and especially the eastern elevation of the building are iconic. The circular windows and the stepping of the cubature create an impressive building. The building grows out of the topography towards the south. The rows of windows in the east summarise the cubature and allow optimal lighting of the classrooms, especially in the morning.

C1.1

R1.1

R1.2

T2.1 T2.2

S1.1

R2.1

R2.2

01.3.5 MATERIAL SURVEY

wall materials. Metalwork. Further materials.

EXISTING BUILDING SURVEY. Existing Material Palette - Exterior.

Main external walls.

Other wall materials.

Pre cast concrete walls with plaster finish A

Painted in a Vermillion Red, potentially inspired by Le Corbusier Couleurs no. 32090 (Rouge Vermillion). Paint is faded and discoloured in some places.

Poured concrete foundations.

Poured concrete infill foundation to ground floor at north end. Unfinished and untreated with exposed concrete texture and form work marks visible.

Concrete wall cast in form work A

Painted in Vermillion Red colour. Not sand-blasted or finished and mould of form work planks still visible as well as aeration in the concrete. Form work used mostly to ground floors where paint colour is faded most.

Pre cast concrete wall with plaster finish B

Thicker plaster coverage which has resulted in more cracking and damage over time. Painted in Red Vermillion colour.

Cast concrete wall in form work B

Cast concrete walls previously covered in plaster and paint. The original concrete wall and form work marks can be seen where extensive plaster has chipped away.

Obscured Georgian wire Glass

Also known as safety glass. Used in skylights towards south elevation and surrounding main entrance. Tightly spaced wire grid with dappled glass texture.

Concrete wall unfinished.

Concrete wall with no plaster finish and painted in Red Vermillion colour. Seen in some places to ground floor walls.

Translucent Polycarbonate roofing.

Used for the remainder of the skylight roofing and for the entrance canopy to the East elevation. Extensive damage from sun fading and water damage.

Metalwork.

Metalwork.

Steel circular hand railing.

Painted in Ruby (deep red) colour. Most likely a recent addition. Only seen to main external entrance and internal staircase. Paint worked is chipped and damaged in some areas.

Rubber sheet flooring.

Non-slip rubber flooring added to entrance stairs. In black-dark grey colour. Mostly likely a recent addition as the rubber has not began to decay or corrode.

Material EX.H

Steel wire Grid.

Some of the windows which have experienced severe damage and smashed panes now have steel grids screwed to the outside to prevent break-ins. The grids themselves have began to rust and oxidise.

Water pipes from main water supply, likely to have originally been lead or cast iron, may be replaced in some areas with galvanised zinc and PVC.

Material EX.I

Material EX.J

Thin metal sheet roof and flashing, presumed to be lead but may be mild steel or aluminium. Painted in Seafoam (soft green) colour. Extensive paint chipping and some rusty and oxidisation.

Lead parapet flashing.

Roof parapet flashing in thin sheet metal. Presumed to be lead but may be mild steel or aluminium. Painted in Seafoam (soft green) colour. Some damage but less so in comparison to flashing roof.

Steel concrete reinforcements.

In some areas the damage to the cast concrete elements is so extensive that the steel reinforcements can be seen and have began to corrode. The concrete aggregate mix can also be seen here.

White painted pre cast concrete slab

To the underside of the building at ground level the pre cast concrete slab is left untreated and exposed. The exposed slab elements are painted in an off-white colour.

Material EX.K

Material EX.M

Lead Flashing Roof

Lead/ Cast Iron Pipes

EXISTING BUILDING SURVEY.

01.3.5 MATERIAL SURVEY

Existing Material Palette - Interior.

EXISTING BUILDING SURVEY. Existing Material Palette - Interior.

Walls.

Concrete wall -cast in form work A

Painted in Seafoam (soft green) colour. Not sand-blasted or finished and mould of form work planks still visible as well as aeration in the concrete.

Original Ochre painted wall

Visible in areas where previous fixtures and fittings have been removed. Original wall colour to classrooms and coridoors in dark

Obscured Georgian wire glass A

Also known as safety glass. Used for majority of internal half glass partition walls and some of the skylight. Extensive damage seen to majority of panes.

White glazed floor tile

Roughly 250x250mm glazed ceramic tile in white colour. Used in all bathroom flooring. Mostly intact bar some damaged tiles.

Material A

Concrete block wall

Painted in Seafoam (soft green) colour. Block work used for majority of internal walls. Some damage or marking to paint work visible.

Material B

Concrete wall cast in form work B

Painted in Pistachio (brighter green) colour. Not sand-blasted or finished and mould of form work planks still visible as well as aeration in the concrete, heavily textured in some places.

Material C

Material E

Concrete wall - precast

Painted in Seafoam (light green) colour. Not sandblasted or finished so original texture is visible. Cracks seen in some places. Pre cast walls used for main elevations.

Material D

Material F

Plastic light switch and Concrete floor slab

Polycarbonate window

Off-white glazed wall tile

Ivory colour with whiter coloured switches. Single switch in ivory plate, both single and double sockets in ivory plates are used throughout.

Window to south elevation fitted with translucent polycarbonate. Window added at later date and not original to the design.

Roughly 80x80mm glazed ceramic tile in off-white -lilac colour. Used in all uper floor bathroom walls to two thirds height.

Structural pre-cast reinforced concrete floor slab (estimated 2750mm depth). Extensive damage from tile adhesive visible.

Obscured glass pane A

With regimented ‘spotted’ pattern. Used to internal half glass partition walls. Extensive damage to panes including some missing, smashed or seemingly cut through.

White glazed wall tile

Roughly 80x80mm glazed ceramic tile in white colour. Used for ground for bathrooms and at sink surrounds in first floor and ground floor classrooms. Likely added at a later date.

Mild steel window frame and sills

Painted in dark Forest green. Rusting and oxidisation visible to majority of the frame and sills, but metalwork in mostly intact.

Georgian wire glass B

Featured in lower level windows towards north of the site. Larger grid in comparison to internal panes.

Linoleum floor tiles

Roughly 300x300mm lino floor tiles in Pistachio colour with abstract white linear pattern. Used extensively throughout the majority of the building. Extensive damage also seen with most tiles loose or missing.

01.3.5 MATERIAL SURVEY

EXISTING BUILDING SURVEY.

Existing Material Palette -Interior cont.

Walls, materials cont.

Features and fixtures.

Material M

Concrete wall -cast in form work C

Painted in White colour. Not sandblasted or finished and mould of form work planks still visible as well as aeration in the concrete.

Wooden dado rail

4mm wooden dado rail at half wall line, screwed and most likely glued to walls. Painted in both Seafoam (light green) and White. Metal hooks or pins often attached to hang students work.

Polished stone risers

Stone risers to stairs. Polished finish in a creamy grey-beige tone. Potentially a polished Sandstone, Lightstone or Tavertine.

Painted mural on doors

Two upper floor classrooms feature this painted mural to the two doors. A single flower of red, yellow and Forest green colour.

Cast iron radiator A

Seen in both White painted finishes. Ranging in width and height depending on location. Most likely original features. Seen in classrooms and lower ground rooms.

Steel circular hand railing

Painted in Ruby (deep red) colour. Most likely a recent addition. Only seen to main external entrance and one internal staircase to upper floor classrooms.

Material N

Obscured glass pane B

With organic dappled pattern. Used to some internal wall glass partition walls. Extensive damage seen to most panes. Most likely recent additions to replace previously broken panes.

Internal stud walls with plasterboard

Two stud walls enclosing the furthest south classroom on the first floor. Most likely a recent addition to enclose the extended spaces. Studs are splitting in places. Painted in Seafoam (light green) colour.

Material P

Fitted blackboards.

Some classrooms are fitted with blackboards, adhered to wall with screws.

Material Q

Material T

Steel spiral radiators

Painted originally in white colour, extensive rusting to majority. Seen in coridoors.

Welded Steel Railing A

Painted in Vermillion (rusted red) colour. Railing to split level classrooms. Original feature.

Material R

Material U

Cast iron radiator B

Seen in both Pistachio, Seafoam painted finishes. Ranging in width and height depending on location. Most likely original features. Seen in classrooms and lower ground rooms.

Un-finished wooden desk

Mostly likely pine wood, either previously finished and sanded or unfinished wood to top of original desk.

Material S

Material V

Steel cabinets

Loose cabinetry seen in some of the upper floor classrooms. Painted in a mid-grey tone, extensive rusting seen to back of majority of pieces.

Welded Steel Railing B

Additional red painted steel railing added to one of the second floor classrooms, welded to the original steel frame. Painted in brighter red colour.

Mild Steel Door Handles.

Long, art deco style finish in a dark grey buff steel finish. The same handle to all doors throughout.

Electricity Light Plug

Switch

Heating

Radiator

Radiator

Waterpipes

TECHNICAL SURVEY

Condition of the technology

The technology in the building is very outdated and was only renovated and extended in a makeshift manner until 2007.

The electrical cables are openly attached to the walls. On average, there is one socket and one light switch in a classroom.

There is no heating in every room. There are two types of radiators, so it can be assumed that there must have been a renovation of the radiators. However, this refurbishment is not related to the different construction phases.

The water pipes run partly outside and inside the walls. There is not a washbasin in every room. The children’s toilets have been makeshift (both the quality of the sanitary facilities and the total number of toilets for the children).

5. Radiator

Old radiator Room 1.1

9. Thermostat

Thermostat, for controlling the room temperature Room 1.4

6. Radiator

New radiator Room 1.1

Sockets and cables, Retrofitted sockets and wiring Room 2.8

7. Lights

Luminaires, electric with plastic housing Room 1.2

Flush box with stand-up toilet in the student toilet

8. Switch

Light switch

Washbasin in the student toilet

Low-pressure steam heater Room 0.1

Chimney for the Low-pressure steam heater Room 0.1

Fuse box for electric current Corridor 1. Floor School bell and telephone Corridor 1. Floor

1. Steam Boiler

2. Chimney

3. Fuse box

4. School bell

10. Sockets and cables

11. Flush box

12. Washbasin

Key

1 East elevation

Broken and damaged panes

Erosion of plaster and paint

Foundation added at later date

2 North elevation

Ivy and climbing plants causing damage to plaster and external walls.

north elevation

Corrosion to lower level due to proxmity to soil

3 West elevation

Missing window panels and further enviornmental damage

Extensive damage to plasterwork Foundation added at later date

3 South elevation

Discolouration of materials (accelerated by age 2000-2023)

Damage caused by water (historic and recent 1970-2023)

Corrosion of plaster/ concrete (accerlated by age 1990-2023)

Environmental damage (over time 1970-2023)

Extensive damage to plasterwork

Aging / Wear and Tear (through usage 1970-2007)

Man-made damage (last 16 years since vacancy)

General discoluration and fading of paint work

Sun fade and discolouration of polycarbonate

Graffiti damage

Grates added to windows Smashed window panes

Water damage

Water damage or discolouration caused by rainwater appears visibly below the windows. Slight algae and fungal growth.

Discolouration in the plaster

Plaster discolouration due to ageing plaster is evenly distributed over the façade.

Light plaster damage

Slight crumbling of the plaster especially in the area of the atika and the newly inserted window.

Heavy plaster damage

Severe plaster crumbling in the area of the parapet, probably due to water penetration.

Rust

Rust in places on the parapet and on the poorly ventilated corners of the windows.

Cracks

Cracks in the building structure can be found in the two columns (from the right) and on the newly inserted windows.

Graffiti

Below the building there are some rioters. Among other things, there is large graffiti near the street, a sign of the abandonment of the place.

EXISTING BUILDING SURVEY.

01.4.3 TYPES AND CAUSES OF DECAY

Types of Decay.

Water Damage.

Walls, materials cont.

Peeling Paintwork.

Caused by water damage and heat and cold expansion and contraction. Exacerbated by wear and tear through usage.

Oxidisation of wall.

Area of wall damaged by water and chemicals - perhaps linked to water supply. Caused blueish discolouration of Vermillion paint and erosion of the paint layer. Potential bio-hazard to be investigated.

Mold around windows.

Mold and fungus around windows in some bathrooms. Caused by water leakage through gaps in the windows. Caused discoloration of paint. Potentially bio-hazard to be investigated.

Discolouration of concrete and paintwork.

A mixture of environmental wear and water damage causing corrosion of plasterwork and discolouration of paintwork.

Corrosion of materials.

Features and fixtures.

Adhesive damage to concrete slab.

Adhesive remaining from linoleum tiles, difficult to remove from existing concrete slab - likely to lead to further damage of the element if not handled carefully.

Damage/ chipping to tiles.

Some cosmetic damage to the bathroom tiles, likely due to wear and tear or building repair work. Can be resolved with replacement of substitute tile.

Extensive corrosion of plaster and concrete.

Most severe case of damage to the concrete elements where corrosion is deep enough to expose the reinforcements. Likely due to environmental wear and man made damage. Potential structural hazard.

Damage / chipping of plaster.

Damage to plaster of external walls is common and seen on all four elevations. In some cases large chunks of plaster have fallen off to expose concrete. Entire external walls will need re-plastering.

Ironmongery.

Ironmongery cont. Environmental / Aging. Man-made damage.

Growth of ivy/ climbing plants.

Due to building neglect and lack of maintenance, several cases of ivy and climbing plants are seen around the building especially to the north-west. Potential structural hazard - root survey should be conducted.

Discolouration and fading of polycarbonate panels.

Polycarbonate has a tendency to discolour and fade due to sun and water damage. These panels will need to be replaced completely.

Inside the building several panes are damaged since the building has been left vacant. All these panes will need replacing.

The southern-most first floor room has been constructed from wooden studs and plasterboard. The boards are now beginning to split and bow. Potential structural hazard, although the walls themselves are non-structural.

Erosion of metalwork.

Fair amounts of oxidisation and rusting have occurred to the metal work including the sheet roofing, parapet flashing and window surrounds and frames. Potentially waterproofing issue.

Missing window and roof panels.

Throughout the building several glass panels and roof panels are missing, leaving the internal spaces exposed to the elements which cause further environmental damage.

To protect the building following its vacancy, steel grids have been attached to the external walls where the windows have been smashed or at risk of break-ins. The fixture of the grids will have left holes in the existing concrete walls.

Since being left vacant the site has been broken into as evidenced by some graffiti to the south elevation. There is also a vast amount of abandoned materials that will need to be removed.

Smashed window panes.

Bowing of wooden walls.

Wire grates added to windows.

Graffiti and rubbish.

ITINERARY OF ELEMENTS

Circular windows 2000x2000mm

Semi-circular windows 2000x1000mm

Vermillion Red Painted External Plaster (inspired by Le Corbusier Couleurs no. 32090)

Spiral Radiator (varied size and height)

Cast Iron Hot water Radiator (varied size and height)

Original writing desk with wooden table top and shelf and steel legs

Interior doors with round porthole window. 2015x910mm with 600mm diameter window.

Original door handles, in mid century elongated style. Mild steel 250x30mm

7 no.

circular openings in pre-cast concrete structural walls with glass and mild steel window frames painted forest green.

Majority are smashed with metal grate added for security

High Importance

Cast concrete allowing circular apertures in structural elements

4 no.

semi-circular openings in precast concrete structural walls with glass and mild steel window frames painted forest green.

Majority are smashed with metal grate added for security

N/a

7 no.

57 no.

1 no. identified

Cast concrete allowing circular apertures in structural elements

vermillion red painted plaster work to all facade besides underside of floor plates and inner wall to south elevation.

Some water damage, chipped plaster and general fading to colour, no longer a true match to original colour.

Steel electric and hot water radiators with spiral design. Stylistically represnetative of the late mid century

Alll intact, working condition unknown. Some rusting and chipping of white paintwork.

Fairly high Importance

Cast iron hot water radiator. Seen in lower and upper floor main rooms. Likley to be the original radiator.

All intact, working condition unknown, painted in both Pistachio and Seafoam colours.

Working desk with wooden top to the ergonmics of a child. Assumed to be original following study of photos.

Only one desk seen on visit. In failry good condition. To be used as aesthetic inspiration.

Light wood doors paited in white colour with single pane glass window. Some with flower motif painted onto.

Asssumed to be original door. Cheap material quality but can be used a style inspiration.

Double window with 6 no. panes total,

Mild steel door handles in elongated style. Used for aesethetic inspiration.

Modernist colour theory, in relation to well-being.

Technological advancements that brought about improved heating.

Tecnological and economic limitations. Standard off shelf.

Montessori influence and the use of child-sized furniture

Reflection of round form on the elevation. Non-off the shelf used to key room.

Economic limitations leading to standardised details such as handles.

Mild steel metal railing to upper mezanine level. (non original). 3785x60mm total.

Round glavanised steel hand rail, added to entrance and one stairway. 80mm diameter.

Sinks and sanitary ware- White Porcellin with stainless steel

Existing linear electric ceiling lights with plastic housing. 1600x200mm

Rectangular window to south elevation. 2750x1500mm

Original shelving unit which serves as a railing to the

Original Orb glass pendant ceiling lamps.

10 no.

Mild galvanised steel, painted in orange vermillion colour. Nonoriginal feature so less stylistic importance.

Intact with some rusting and damage to paint.

Not-original // Low importance

Need for more secure railings to prevent injury and increase visibilty.

2 no.

Glavanised steel circular railing with welded circular fixing. Modern addition. No stylistic or physical significance.

Failry new addition so no real damage seen, only cosmetic damage.

10 no.

Potentially original sanitary ware. Off the shelf units with no stylistic or physical significance.

Most units in poor condition either chipped, cracked or discoloured.

High Significance Not-original // Low importance

Accesibility issues and requirement for further handrail supports.

Standarised sanitary ware due to economic limitations.

108 no.

Modern addition of electric (office style) lighting. Standard units. Detrimental to style and aesthetic of the interiors.

Some units are cracked or missing plastic housing. Plastic is also discoloured in areas.

Not-original // Low importance

Need to improve lighting level within building - use of cheap available solution

1 no.

Translucent polycarbonate window, not original to the south facade. Detrimental to the exterior.

Discolouration to polycarbonate, errosion of paint and some of metal frame.

Steel metal shelving unit with wooden surfaces, built into the mezzanine. Mid century functional style.

N/a removed from building

Desire to bring more light into the corridooradded a later date.

Mid-century style units to connect split level spaces.

Midcentury style and playful hint to circular motif throughout building

Motessori influence and creation of independant and varied working areas.

DOPO SCUOLA

LAB. 22-23

FRIEDRICH // HERKOMMER // JONES.