Maria Grazia Cutuli School

Construction in war zones raises a number of issues, especially ones regarding the rebuilding of social relationships through the provision of places and activities that stimulate community growth. In 2001 Maria Grazia Cutuli, a prominent Italian journalist, was murdered by a group of gunmen in Afghanistan. Ten years later, the Foundation named in her honour decided to build a “sign of peace”: a school that was an innovative educational space offering an alternative to the conventional models associated with post-war emergency reconstruction. The first challenge was the researching of a layout capable of matching evocative spaces to existing functional needs. In fact, the building is comprised of a boundary line formed by a seemingly random arrangement of modules. It hosts eight classrooms, a double-height library, a secretarial office, staffrooms and a caretaker’s house. Both external and internal spaces contribute to the shaping of the educational environment.