 |
|
|
 |
|
| |
 |
|
 |
|
|
| |
International
Center Loris Malaguzzi
An international place open to the future, to different cultures,
to ideas, hopes and imagination. A place of the possible, a
place which is useful an needed by the city and the Centre’s
changing neighbourhood.
A place not born today; the first suggestions came with Loris
Malaguzzi, “We are working in difficult times, so changeable,
so fluctuating …beyond any ability for prediction, for
the future is difficult to govern…”
In 1998 the Reggio Comune (Municipality) acquired the ex-Locatelli
premises as a catalyst, a symbol of transformation in the northern
area of the city. A place where children and their potentials
are at the centre, it wishes to offer opportunities for creativity
to children, young people, families, and new possibilities to
the international educational community and all those who hold
dear the themes of education and innovation. |
| |
 |
|
One
City, Many Children
Memories of a present history dedicated to
the many people who have made it possible. |
|
A long and adventurous journey
connects childhood and the city of Reggio
Emilia, a journey in which thousands have
participated. An extraordinary adventure of
men and women, above all women, who day after
day, with intelligence and passion have made
the story possible.
An experience which has renewed itself over
time and which continues to do so today –
not without difficulties and future aspirations
– to produce an uninterrupted dialogue
between children and the city. A history of
hard work and joy, conflict and sharing because
as Howard Gardner says, “there cannot
be
an absence of conflict in a changing reality”. |
|
 |
|
| Using different levels of
reading the exhibition seeks to narrate the
history of municipal infant-toddler centres
and preschools, started up and developed in
Reggio Emilia in 1963 but rooted in previous
experiences described in the exhibition using
contemporary material. |
|
|
|
|
| Dialogue
with Places |
|
The suggestion for this project
came from another project in the city entitled
“An Invitation to…” in which
five important artists created contemporary
works of art in five different places around
the city. Children and teachers in Reggio
infant-toddler centres and preschools explored
the International Centre while work was still
partially underway choosing areas of the Centre
interesting to them and designing a work/a
gift conceived in empathy and dialogue with
the chosen places. They respected the place’s
identity while intervening on it and causing
it to modify.
The children’s journey sets in motion
many processes; creative, sympathetic, cognitive
and draws these into a design/project |
approach which tends to oppose widespread
attitudes of dis-engagement and indifference
in the same way that it tends to refuse
passive and uncritical acceptance of
poor quality environments. It is our
hope that an approach which is sensitive
to surroundings can be a positive element
for participation, for solidarity and
awareness towards others and the
environment. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Ray
of Light Atelier
(italian
version only) |
|
 |
|
The
Ray of Light atelier was presented at The
Genoa Science Festival in November 2005. It
is an environment offering children, young
people and teachers the opportunity to experience
some of the qualities of light and become
familiar with the “grammar” of
these through individual and group interaction.
The idea was born from the encounter between
work on the identity of the Malaguzzi Centre
and the desire
to make the atelier an innovative area for
research on the hundred languages of children.
The Ray of Light Atelier proposes an inter-disciplinary
approach to the subject without a single progression
leading to one solution. Rather, it encourages
the elaboration of theory and knowledge on
light in both individuals and groups. Conception
and realisation of the atelier came about
with contributions from a working group made
up of people with diverse competencies; atelieristi
(educational artists),
pedagogisti (educational co-ordinators), a
physicist, an architect and a group of volunteers
made up of many enthusiastic parents. Successive
phases of research and development are planned
for the exhibition and will be put together
over a period of two years.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Play+
Soft |
|
The exhibition
recounts the results of a research project
and laboratory work involving designers, teachers,
pedagogiste (educational co-ordinators) and
preschools in Reggio Emilia
working together for over two years.
Play+Soft is a range of furnishings introducing
new sensory qualities into environments and
landscapes for childhood. It is a contribution
towards making the environments inhabited
by children experiencing the adventure of
growing more complex and stimulating, a tool
for investigating new ways of inhabiting spaces
for children and adults. The exhibition of
this new range of soft furnishings for childhood
was created with pedagogical consulting from
Reggio Children and developed by 28 international
designers. Art direction is by Michele Zini
and realisation by the innovative business
entrepreneur Maurizio Fontanili. |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
