Resonating Chambers of Wood: Music School by Mario Cucinella

In 2012, the earth shook in the Italian region of Reggio Emilia. Afterwards, the fundraisers were hard at work: they collected more than 7 million euros from citizens and companies in order to fund five new buildings for cultural and social use. These were planned by Mario Cucinella Architects along with six young architects and engineers from the area, who were chosen by the studio from 160 applicants. The new buildings comprise a youth centre, a dancing school, a sports centre, a home for the handicapped and the now-complete music school in Pieve di Cento. Music enjoys a long tradition in the town of 7,000; among other institutions, there is a music association and a secondary school that focuses on music.

Circular Rehearsal Rooms

In future, both association and school will share the building, which stands on former factory grounds of the Lamborghini company. The land has been transformed into a park. Nine circular rehearsal rooms with slender pent roofs made of metal are joined as a sort of spatial conglomeration held together by access corridors. Although the material is not the first choice in terms of earthquake safety, the walls consist of masonry for purposes of soundproofing. The exterior features rear-ventilated cladding of curved oak slats and, in places, benches for park visitors.

According to the architects’ calculations, the building will be 35% more energy-efficient than the region’s current building regulations stipulate. The good insulation, shade-giving metal roofs and ventilation will all contribute. In fact, 28% of the energy for heating and cooling will come from the building’s own roof, parts of which have been fitted with photovoltaic modules.

Further information:

TGA-Planning: Riccardo Giannoni, Danilo Facchini
Planning of structural framework: Sarti Ingegneria
Room acoustics: Gabriele Raffellini
Electrical planning: Gaetano Calcara
Construction inspection: Marco Dell’Agli