Improving User Comfort in School Buildings: A New Addition to the I.I.S. Manfredi-Tanari in Bologna

This thesis presents the architectural and technical design of a new building addition to the I.I.S. Manfredi–Tanari secondary school campus in Bologna, developed in collaboration with Studio Tecnico Pazzaglia and the Città Metropolitana di Bologna within the PNRR framework. The project responds to two interconnected needs: the shortage of permanent teaching spaces and the need to improve environmental comfort in the existing school. Three research questions are addressed: whether the existing building provides adequate environmental comfort by current Italian standards; how a new building can improve environmental quality while supporting Active Learning; and whether the proposed design resolves the identified deficiencies. The existing school was evaluated through site visits, environmental measurements, and a questionnaire completed by 25 students. Ventilation was the most critical issue (M = 2.44, Poor), followed by thermal discomfort and inadequate corridor lighting. Spatial adequacy was the only parameter rated Good (M = 4.52). The proposed building is a two-storey Cross-Laminated Timber (X-LAM) structure in two phases. Phase 1 includes five classrooms, an auditorium, a glazed corridor, a meeting space with café, and ancillary services. Phase 2 adds bar, two Active Learning laboratories and a teachers' room on the upper floor. The design resolves the principal comfort deficiencies identified, provides flexible learning spaces supporting contemporary educational practices and future adaptation, and complies with current Italian energy and building regulations.