Program

Alessandro Scandurra

Architect and lecturer, founder and principal of Scandurra Studio

Alessandro Scandurra presents NEW – Neighbourhood for Educational Wonder, the winning project in the 2024 international Future School for Ukraine competition, organised by the Lithuanian Government in collaboration with the Ukrainian Ministry of Education to rebuild schools affected by the conflict, in partnership with Ukrainian architect Mykhailo Vuskanskyi. Going beyond the idea of a simple, easily replicable prototype – as required by the competition brief – the studio has developed a series of design approaches capable of adapting to different contexts to meet the real needs of communities. The technological solution is based on the ‘Design for Disassembly’ strategy: a system of modular, prefabricated elements that are easy to transport, assemble and dismantle, reducing construction times and cutting emissions. This vision is complemented by a radical circular economy approach, which involved collaboration with a local start-up to recover and regenerate rubble from destroyed buildings and transform it into building materials. This initiative also serves as a metaphor for how what war destroys can become the raw material upon which to build the future.In Scandurra’s vision, the concept of a school goes beyond its purely institutional function: the spaces open up to the neighbourhood, accommodating essential services – from healthcare to psychological support – and creating a seamless connection between the building and the city. Through open corridors and garden courtyards, the architecture invites people to come together. A discussion to explore how architecture can restore a sense of humanity, rebuilding not only buildings, but also trust, bonds and a new vision of community.