How can a school become the very heart of a community, where learning and social cooperation go hand in hand?This was the question carried by the international partnership of the LEARNITECT project when, in April 2024, they travelled to Viareggio to study the Istituto Comprensivo Don Milani. During the visit, it quickly became clear: this Tuscan seaside town’s institution is far more than a series of classrooms – it is an open, inclusive community space where pedagogy, architecture, and social responsibility meet in harmony.

A brief introduction to the school

The Istituto Comprensivo Don Milani, located in the heart of Viareggio, serves around 850 students and 150 staff members. It is a comprehensive institution, covering several levels of primary education and lower secondary grades, ensuring that children are raised within a consistent pedagogical vision across a long learning cycle. Owing to the area’s diverse social composition, the school provides answers both to cultural diversity and to the challenges of equal opportunities.

The school’s philosophy underlines that it is “not an isolated place, but an integral part of the community”, welcoming not only students and parents but the entire city with open doors. As highlighted on their website, beyond education, the focus lies on community responsibility, social integration, and enriching cultural life. A symbolic pillar of their pedagogical innovation is the Senza Zaino (“Without Backpack”) model, which reinforces students’ independence, responsibility, and cooperation. Alongside this, a wide array of cultural and community programmes (such as the “Brotherhood Feast” and the “Neighborhood Festival”) weave strong bonds between the school and the city.

Innovation and openness to community

One of Don Milani’s greatest strengths is its constant dialogue and cooperation. As the headmistress, Nella De Angeli, expressed:

In our school, change never comes from above; we shape it together – teachers, students, families, and the wider community.

This approach is not only reflected in the school’s programmes but also in its everyday operation.

A remarkable initiative is the “Participatory Table”, a monthly meeting that brings together representatives of the municipality, civil associations, sports clubs, and parents. Decisions are not confined within school walls but are instead formed through broad social cooperation. The result is tangible: school events become part of the city’s cultural life, while community support guarantees sustainability.

As one Hungarian partner noted in their diary:

It is rare to see a school so deliberately attuned to the heartbeat of its city. Here, everyone truly feels: the school belongs to the community.

Spaces that educate

Over the past five years, the school has undergone significant architectural and interior transformations. The goal was not mere modernization, but the creation of an environment that explicitly serves student well-being and inclusion.

• A greenhouse and a living garden: hubs of environmental education and hands-on learning.
• Colorful seating areas in corridors: spaces for individual focus, relaxation, or friendly conversation.
• Special classrooms: for artistic and STEAM activities, as well as laboratories.
• Dedicated room for students with special needs: equipped with specialized furniture and staff.

As the headmistress highlighted:

The most important thing is that students know there will always be a place in the school where they feel safe and supported.

For the LEARNITECT partners, it was especially inspiring to see that spatial use here is not static but flexible, constantly responding to students’ needs. As one observer put it:

Every corner of the school conveys the same message: you matter here, you belong here.

Digital transformation and future-oriented thinking

The school innovates not only in physical spaces but in the digital sphere as well. The leadership aims for students to become creators rather than mere consumers of the digital world.

Pupils learn robotics and programming, acquiring problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration skills through project-based approaches. Digital tools are never used for their own sake: every application is guided by a clear pedagogical purpose. One teacher explained:

When students program LEGO robots, what they are really learning is cooperation, responsibility, and independent thinking.

Digital communication also plays a crucial role: the school is highly active on social media, enabling families and the wider community to stay closely connected to daily life at the institution. This transparency builds trust and strengthens the relationship between school and community.

Building community beyond the school walls

Perhaps the strongest message conveyed during the visit was the school’s role as a catalyst of community life. Events like the “Neighborhood Festival” or the “Brotherhood Feast” involve not only students but also their families and entire districts of the city.

As the headmistress aptly said:

We realized that community actors achieve little when isolated, but together, we can accomplish revolutionary change.

This thought left a strong impression on the project partners as well, since reinforcing community ties is a challenge across all participating countries.

As one participant wrote in their diary:

The school’s community events not only develop the children but also weave social bonds among families. Every city would benefit from such initiatives.

Cultural and pedagogical shift

Don Milani School does not merely modernize tools and spaces – it is fundamentally reshaping the cultural framework of the school experience. For students, the institution is no longer the world of exams and homework, but a safe and inspiring place.

As one teacher reflected:

Children no longer fear walking through the school gates. Instead, they think: here, opportunities await me.

This transformation has long-term effects, visible not only in academic performance but also in students’ social engagement and mental well-being. Pedagogical culture here is intertwined with architectural and digital innovation, creating a comprehensive 21st-century learning ecosystem.

Conclusion

The example of Don Milani School in Viareggio demonstrates clearly that 21st-century learning cannot be imagined within closed walls. Inclusive pedagogy, thoughtfully designed spaces, digital development, and strong community partnerships together shape the school of the future.

For the LEARNITECT project, the lesson of this visit is unambiguous: true innovation is not merely a technological or architectural issue but a cultural one – where the school becomes the engine of its community. In Viareggio, this is not theory but lived practice.

Partners

• Magyar Digitális Oktatásért Egyesület (Hungary – co-ordinator)
• IAL Toscana Innovazione Apprendimento Lavoro srl. Impresa Sociale (Italy)
• Previform – Laboratório, Formação, Higiene e Segurança do Trabalho, Lda (Portugal)
• Learnitect Design Kft. (Hungary)

Project duration: 1 September 2023 – 31 August 2025

Grant amount: EUR 60,000

Grant Agreement No.: 2023-1-HU01-KA210-SCH-000152699

LEARNITECT – Az innovatív tanulási tervezés és inkluzív tanulási terek találkozása c. projekt (Hungarian)

LEARNITECT – Meeting of innovative learning design and inclusive learning spaces (ENG)

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

GA Nr.: 2023-1-HU01-KA210-SCH-000152699.

With the main partner of the project, the Hungarian Association for Hungarian Digital Education, and with partners Learnitect Design Ltd (Hungary),  Previform Lda (Portugal) IAL Toscana carries out the project activities, financed by Erasmus Plus programme.