Conference Program

Can a lightweight, nature-based design transform a school into a community plant nursery, reclaiming a neglected heritage as a common good? This proposal addresses this central question by focusing on the relationship between a school building and the Archaeological Park of the Greek Walls (Pierre Wuilleumier) in Taranto, which it overlooks. Located in a city severely affected by industrial pollution, the park represents a vital green lung and a small urban forest with over a thousand trees capable of CO2 absorption. However, this 5th-century BC Spartan archaeological site currently suffers from neglect, a lack of informational signage, and urban decay.

The project proposes an interdisciplinary approach—integrating pedagogy, architecture, contemporary art, and nature—to reimagine the school as a community hub and a gateway to the park. Adopting the concept of porous educational landscapes, the school transcends its traditional walls to serve as a catalyst for outdoor learning and civic engagement. In this context, the school is conceived as a plant nursery: a place where new democratic relationships and environmental awareness are cultivated, mirroring the "Green Belt" initiative aimed at purifying urban air.

The interdisciplinary design can utilize lightweight exhibition systems to create a "threshold" between the institutional space and the archaeological site. This solution facilitates fluid exchanges, transforming the park into a functional extension of the classroom. To activate this space, the project incorporates collaborative art, inspired also by the philosophy of Hervé Tullet. By engaging students and citizens in co-creative processes, such as the "Expo Idéale", the project challenges stereotypes of isolated talent and promotes an inclusive environment where the creative process itself becomes a tool for social justice.

The school, acting as a plant nursery, becomes the park's guardian, providing the necessary "pedagogical tool" to make archaeological ruins accessible and understandable to the public. Ultimately, this research demonstrates how interdisciplinary dialogue between pedagogy and architecture can transform materiality from an instrument of control into a medium of emancipation. By reclaiming the Greek Walls as an active place of learning and art, the school strengthens its role as a common good, demonstrating that even in contexts marked by industrial crisis, porous design can foster a sustainable and democratic future for the entire "educating community".