Renzo Piano Hospice Expansion: Multi-Purpose and Music Therapy Room

The aim of this project is to create a collective space for children living inside the Maria Teresa Chiantore Seragnoli Pediatric Hospice, Bologna. The idea for this project comes from the interest I developed towards Renzo Piano’s Hospice project during my graduate internship. I had the chance to collaborate with the architecture firm currently following the construction of the building. Time spent on site gave me the opportunity not only to study the project, but also to personally see its construction and to get close with professionals who thoroughly knew all aspects of it. All these elements got me thinking I could use this project as a starting point for my thesis to develop a minor extension of the same. The purpose is to create a space, compatibly with the patients needs, where they can carry out leisure activities which can also help them better tolerate the harsh reality they are living in. The new expansion will host music therapy and other leisure activities, creating a public space other than the ones planned to be in the main building. This function is already planned to be hosted in the Hospice, however its size does not allow to accomodate a large number of people. This is the reason why a new and separate satellite is planned, creating a new hub for the children. The intended approach to use is to create a space that is in harmony with the natural context and the already built Renzo Piano project. A quiet approach is to be chosen to respect the masterpiace and also to respect the function the building will host.