A NEW AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE FOR SIENA

The new building is located on a descending slope facing the historical centre of Siena and the Osservanza Basilica with monastery in remarkable environmental surroundings.
The building is constructed to compliment the morphology of the site; part of the school is built into the hill. Grass covers the rooftops in order to further diminish the landscape impact of the building and improve its environmental impact too.
Outstanding panoramic views of Siena and of the Osservanza can be seen from the site. The aim of the project is to open the sight not only from the via Scacciapensieri, today limited by the height of the existing buildings, and also provide the new classrooms and school facilities with panoramic views as much as possible.


As requested, the building process foresees two phases so the existing classrooms can be used until the new structure is completed. For this reason the two story school is divided into three volumes. Each volume is connected with open courts in between the volumes.

The three volumes are utilized for different school activities. The first volume to be built contains the classrooms and the laboratories: it is long and narrow with classrooms facing South towards the valley and laboratories on the opposite side facing either East or West. The second volume, closer to the access of the site, is comprised of the school hall, the library, offices, a conference room and a small café. The design of the gym, the third volume, foresees a public use also.