Healing through learning: Inside the ABF Maria Manetti Shrem Educational Centre

The ABF 'Maria Manetti Shrem' Educational Centre is a pilot project under the ABF H-LABS program for Schools in Hospitals, an initiative by the Andrea Bocelli Foundation (ABF) that provides quality education to hospitalised children. Surrounded by a lush landscape and away from the busy areas of the campus, the educational respite is situated at the northmost end of the Meyer Children's Hospital in Florence, Italy. Designed by studio Alvisi Kirimoto, the building houses the latest technologies for activity areas such as music laboratory, library, art and science laboratories and study areas for children to be immersed in creativity and learning in natural light and surrounded by nature.

The new building, though being an extension of the hospital design, sits comfortably in the sloped landscape as it belongs there. With its simple and minimal architecture, curved interior walls and floor-to-ceiling glass walls in the exterior, the Education Centre exudes a mid-century modern charm and warmth. As a sleek glass corridor physically connects the new building with the existing mass, it forms an enclosed courtyard that offers a safe space for peace to the children. Due to the similarity in roof structures and glass facade, the new and existing structures are visually streamlined and form a strong architectural relationship.

The heavy, concrete architecture of the pavilion's interior is complemented by the lightweight roof, constructed using reduced steel sections that also ensure strength. The glass exterior is equipped with an automated shading mechanism that protects the interior spaces from excessive sunlight and glare so it can be used during all times of the day. Despite having a high ceiling, the educational institute’s interior design and footprint is a small-scale design for children to feel comfortable and connect themselves to the built enviroment.

Within the rectangular glass shell of the educational building lies a central oval space called the Carillon, which is a music laboratory that hosts events such as screenings, theatre performances and concerts for the amusement of children. Along with practical interventions such as acoustic internal surfaces and a micro-perforated ceiling, the two playful portholes on opposite sides of the space encourage children to take a peek inside. The music lab, as well as the foundation and the peripheral walls, are constructed using reinforced concrete for seismic resistance.

Centred around the Carillon, other activity areas in the building include the Coding and STEM Area for exploring virtual reality and robotics, Digital and Reading Area with library design for study and research, an art and science laboratory on the eastern side of the pavilion for artistic expression and experimentation and small meeting space for study and other activities. The gardens outside the building are repurposed to accommodate outdoor activity areas for the children to hang out and play.

The Adult space nearby provides a quieter area for family meetings, individual study or private conversations. This section is essential for supporting the children and their families, creating a comforting and inclusive environment that acknowledges the emotional challenges of hospitalisation. Additionally, a small warehouse and a technical room with a green roof are strategically located to support the centre’s operations while blending into the landscape.

“It’s a simple gesture - a light leaf, suspended between the sky and the greenery, providing shelter,” says Italian architect Massimo Alvisi, co-founder of the studio Alvisi Kirimoto on the educational architecture intervention. The Rome-based studio envisioned a "protected space for growth and discovery," where, as Alvisi says, "learning happens by venturing among trees, games, vegetable gardens, small greenhouses, history and architecture."

A hospital environment can often feel stressful, painful and isolating for children, where they seldom get to play, learn or even get some fresh air. Instead of being confined to their hospital beds, dedicated learning and activity spaces send a powerful message that education and play are fundamental to a child’s growth and cannot be neglected especially in sickness. The ABF Maria Manetti Shrem Educational Centre is an ideal example of thoughtful healthcare architecture that offers a pleasant children’s playscape with ample natural light and built and natural landscape where they can engage in several educational and playful activities with ease as they connect with other patients their age.