children spaces relations

8/2/2019 Children Spaces Relations

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elationa l formsOver the years, the municipal infant-toddlercenters and preschools of Reggio Emiliahave developed a valuable experience ofcollaboration between educators and a r c h ~ tects in the construction of schools foryoung children.

sign projects, with due respect for the differences and complexity of such projectsin various contexts .

recognizabilityRecognizability means creating an architectural language and an environmental atmosphere with a precise identity.Though aschool must be highly flexible andable to relate continuously with the new "languages" of the society-and thus also tochange in appearance over time-it is important that it continues to maintain its own

This experience has led to a number of specific identity. This does not mean simu-understandings and points of reference related to both the distribution of space andthe planning and organizational decisions,providing indications for constructing environments according to criteria with astrongidentity from the pedagogical point of viewas well as that of the physical organizationof space .A series of precise guidelines have thusbeen developed for architects and designers which also have astrong theoretical andpedagogical connotation.Here we will take a look at some of thesecriteria, though they should not be considered as a recipe for how to organize asch ol buildir\2: , bu a points of referencefor reflecting on how to adapt a school environment to specific educational and de-

lating a home or representing a school inthe traditional sense , but anew identity withrecognizable elements that make it p o s s ~ ble for the school to be immediately identified as such.


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horizontality

A horizontal layout of the school buildinghighlights the conscious choice of not creating hierarchies among the various spaces:the service areas, the work areas for adultsand children, the classrooms and officesall have an important and shared role.Horizontality is thus the physical manifestation of ademocracy of functions, equal dignity, and sociality.In the Reggio Emilia infant-toddler centersand preschools, this choice has been maintained over time and remains valid, thoughit has been integrated with a new sensitivity and attention to the volumetric complexities of the different spaces, with the aim ofoffering further learning opportunities.

the central piazza

Another important feature is the presenceof a large central area called the piazza(town square), onto which the main spacesof the school face. The piazza is a place ofmeeting, apublic place of the school whichplays the same role in the school buildingas the piazza does in the town. Here, too,the choice in terms of spatial distributionand layout has a pedagogical connotation:the piazza supports the formation of relationships, symbolizing the "pedagogy ofrelationships" in the sense that it fostersencounters, group interaction, stories,

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social relations, and the children's assump-tion of a public identity.In parallel, the use of a central piazza elimi-nates the need for corridors, and this isanother distributive aspect based on apre-cise pedagogical choice: the refusal ofspaces dedicated exclusively to distributionand connection, and thus those which arenot easily usable for children's activities,spaces which have been used traditionallyas amethod of order and control over c h i ~ dren, away to impose the disciplinary rulesof the adults.

transformabilityand flexibilityThe school environment must lend itself tomanipulation and transformation by adultsand children alike, and be open to differentways of use. The school should be able tochange during the day and during the year,to be continuously modeled and re-designedas a result of the experimentation of c h i ~ dren and teachers.Where possible, the design of aschool building should take into account both short- andlong-term transformations.Transformability in the short term can beachieved by using:- partitions,-furnishing elements that can contain otherequipment and materials,38

- moveable wall panels,- screens for shadow play and projection,-furniture that is movable, revolving, or onwheels.Transformability in the long term involves:- the potential for physical modification ofthe spaces; i.e. technical systems (electri-cal, heating, plumbing) and structures thatenable changes over time;-expandability, which means the possibilityto enlarge the school, adding spaces overtime (ateliers, classrooms, other spaces)and to construct the overall project by sue-cessive refinements and adjustments;- varied use of the spaces. In the ReggioEmilia preschools, the choice has been tovalue the continuity of the group over time.This means that each group of children ( d ~ vided by agel keeps the same teachersthroughout their infant-toddler center orschool experience but changes classrooms,each year using the room set up for theirage group. In this way, the spaces can havecharacteristics specifically dedicated to thedifferent ages of the children.


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atelier

Each infant-toddler center and preschool isequipped with a studio space called theatelier which is viewed as complementaryto the classrooms and adult work spacesrather than a substitute for them. The atelier is used for research, experimentation,and manipulation of a variety materials.In the preschools, a special teacher calledthe "atelierista", with a background in thevisual languages, works in collaboration withthe classroom teachers with a focus onobserving and supporting the children'slearning and creative processes.The atelier and classrooms together becomea hands-on workshop and center for observation and documentation.Over the years in the Reggio Emiliapreschools, this concept has been furtherdeveloped by introducing "mini-ateliers" ineach classroom.

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school as workshop

Though certain spaces are specifically or-ganized for direct investigation and experi-mentation (like the atelier), the entire schoolis viewed as a workshop for children's au-tonomous learning.Each space is organized with this basicpremise in mind, and is thus equipped withmaterials that foster exploration. It is im-portant that all the spaces in the school,according to their specific characteristics,be open and accessible to the children toinhabit and use, including the kitchen andthe o f f i c e ~ .

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school and community

The close relationship between the schooland the town is a fundamental concept ofthe Reggio Emilia infant-toddler centers andpreschools. School architecture and designshould embody this principle in terms ofosmosis with the surrounding aestheticsand culture as well as in the distribution ofspace.The school building should be equipped foruse outside school hours and for variousactivities which may not be strictly "scho-lastic": from teachers' meetings and pro-fessional development seminars to parent-teacher meetings, parties and specialevents, parent advisory council meetings,and neighborhood activities.


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inside-outside relationship

Another important element is the strongrelationship between the inside and outsideof the school building . A school should bea place that "senses" what is happeningoutside-from the weather to seasonalchanges, from the time of day to therhythms of the town-precisely because itexists in a specific place and time .There are anumber of elements that fosterthis inside-outside relationship :-"filter" spaces (porches, verandahs, canopies)- conservatories and interior courtyards(open or covered), with plants and othernatural elements- the particular use of the outdoor spaces :hillocks, play equipment, pathways, specially equipped areas-installations for making visible the behaviorof physical forces (wind, water, etc.)- an entrance that provides information onthe school and its activities, a place forwelcoming and greetings.

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communication

Communication, both inside the school andwith the outside, is a fundamental premisefor any activity that involves research, theexchange of ideas , and discussion, and isthus an important element of the educa-tional project in the infant-toddler centersand preschools of Reggio Emilia.The pedagogy of projects, listening, sub-jectivity, and collaboration is based on the

transparency relationship between three subjects : c h i ~ dren, teachers, and parents. With the inclu-The concept of "transparency" has evolved continues to be underscored, but more on sian of parents as active participants of theover the years in the Reggio Emilia schools the spatial level, in terms of a succession school, this "pedagogy of relationships" wasfor young children. The term was initially of visible spaces ; .e. the possibility of look- developed which increased the need forconnected to the visibility of the building ing through from one space to another large spaces for communication and docu-elements and technologies, to a declara- which is at least partially comprehensible. mentation on both the inside and outside,tion of the static role of the individual parts, Transparency does not exclude opacity, but involving adults and children, parents andgiving a positive value to these elements. focuses on ensuring a sense of the depth teachers, the city and other cities and c u ~ The value of the concept of transparency of field and the perception of the space. tures, and the places where culture is pro-

duced and developed.

The role of the teacher has evolved overthe years along with the changing conceptof teaching, which now involves extensivesystems of observation and documentation(viewed as interpretation and narration).These systems form the basis on whichteachers reflect and develop theirunderstandings of the children's individualand group strategies in the learning andaffective processes, and provide an effec-

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drawings, children's work, videotapes, corn- for archiving the documentation of the work~ - puter printouts, objects, posters, images, and projects carried out with the children,

sculptures. The classroom doors, an impor- to ensure easy consultation for teachers andtant place of passage, also serve as a sup- create administrative and didactic archives.port for communication and the children'sexplorations {e.g. mirrors hung at childheight).Within this system of continuous communi-cation, a number of particular characteris-tics should be kept in mind:-The walls should permit extensive displaysof different types {two-dimensional andthree-dimensional), so that the environmentreflects and communicates the life of theschool and the activities carried out withthe children.-Certain areas need specific types of corn-munication, such as the entrance, the staffroom, and the kitchen, where the displaystructures should be modifiable accordingto need.-Filter zones are also needed, situated out-side but near the classrooms to permit aneasy and unhurried exchange of informa-

tive instrument for the teachers' ongoing tion in the daily communication with theprofessional development and for commu- families.nication and discussion with others. - In-depth observation and documentation

require adequate instruments: tape record-As the embodiment of these needs and tunc- ers, cameras, videocameras, slide projec-tions, communication has evolved to be- tors and overhead projectors, instrumentscome a "second skin" that covers the which have become indispensable for work-school, asort of architecture overlaying the ing and communicating.basic architecture, including photographs, -The space should be organized efficiently

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ImagesRelational formsp. 36

lntenor of the 5-year-olds ' classroom at theDtana Municipal Preschool, Reggio Emilialntenor of the 4-year-olds ' classroom at theDiana Municipal Preschool, Reggio Emilia- p. 37lntenor of the 3-year-olds' classroom at theVilletta Municipal Preschool, Reggio EmiliaChildren n the kitchen with the cook,Atcobaeno Municipal Infant-toddler Center,Regg1 EmiliaPlan of the Diana Municipal Preschool, ReggioEmthaCent I piazza of the Diana MunicipalPresc ool, Reggio EmiliaCentrapiazza of the Balducci MunicipalPreschool, Reggio Emiliav. 3

Sculpture, Balducci Municipal Preschool,ReggtoEmiliaGroups at work in the 4-year-olds' classroom,Diana Municipal Preschool, Reggio EmiliaShad w constructions, Villetta MunicipalPreschool, Reggio EmiliaJean ouvel, ' inox 01 ", for stainless steel,1992 , design of expandable moving spacep 39

Monument in progress , atelier of the NerudaMunicipal Preschool, Reggio EmiliaDesigns with light, Diana Municipal Preschool,Regg1o EmiliaAtelter of the Diana Municipal Preschool,Regg io EmiliaLarge fresco, atelier of the Diana MunicipalPreschool, Reggio Emiliap 40F o u ' 1 a i n , designed by 5- and 6-year oldch ildren at the Villetta Municipal Preschool ,Reggio Emilia' l

children spaces relations

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