San Giacomo delle Segnate Nursery School by Archiplanstudio: A Poetic Space for Early Learning

A Contemporary Nursery Rooted in Rural Italian Identity

Located in the small town of San Giacomo delle Segnate, Italy, the San Giacomo delle Segnate Nursery School designed by Archiplanstudio transforms early childhood education into a spatial and emotional experience. Completed in 2025 and spanning 180 square meters, the project draws inspiration from the traditional rural architecture of the Po Valley, merging heritage and innovation to create a nurturing environment for children.

Photographed by Simone Bossi, the building captures the serenity and simplicity of its setting—an intimate Italian town defined by fragmented urban edges and modest architectural rhythms.

Architectural Concept: Simple Volumes and Symbolic Light

The nursery’s design is based on a composition of elementary gabled volumes, each recalling the archetypal form of rural houses scattered across the Po Valley. These familiar silhouettes evoke comfort, belonging, and recognition—key emotions in a child’s first learning environment.

At the heart of the composition lies a cone-shaped entrance volume, serving both as a landmark and a spatial metaphor. This element allows zenithal light to filter through from above, transforming the entrance into a luminous threshold between the town and the intimate world of learning within. The play of light here is intentional—soft, natural, and ever-changing—guiding children’s sense of discovery and orientation.

Functional Layout: Connection Between Inside and Outside

The nursery is organized into three main gabled units containing classrooms and service areas. Each classroom is thoughtfully positioned to foster a dialogue with nature:

• Two classrooms open directly to a central courtyard, allowing children to move freely between interior learning spaces and the outdoors.
• The third classroom reaches upward, connecting visually and symbolically with the sky through a large roof opening, offering a contemplative and dreamlike quality of light.

These relationships between interior and exterior environments support experiential learning, encouraging children to explore, observe, and interact with their surroundings.

Materials, Color, and Atmosphere

The material palette and color composition are deliberately restrained, enhancing the purity of form and emphasizing light as the main architectural element. The façades’ neutral tones and subtle textures echo the rural context, while accents of color enliven the interiors—sparking imagination and joy.

The architecture aims to create a fairytale-like atmosphere, blending minimalism with playfulness. Every spatial gesture—from the slanted roofs to the rhythm of openings—translates into a poetic narrative that resonates with childhood wonder.

A Memory of the First School Experience

For Archiplanstudio, the San Giacomo delle Segnate Nursery School is more than a functional building—it’s a space of emotion, memory, and identity. The project aspires to become part of each child’s formative imagination, embedding their first school experience in an environment that feels both magical and familiar.

Through the clarity of volumes, the generosity of light, and the simplicity of materials, the school stands as an example of how contemporary educational architecture can celebrate local identity while shaping the emotional landscape of early learning.

Project Information

  Project Name: San Giacomo delle Segnate Nursery School Architects: Archiplanstudio Location: San Giacomo delle Segnate, Italy Year: 2025 Area: 180 m² Photography: Simone Bossi  

All photographs are works ofSimone Bossi