In 1872, the illustrious industrialist Alessandro Rossi acquired a plot of land of about 4000 square meters at the foot of the Castle hill, to build a kindergarten for the children of workers, located just a short distance from the factory. This intention was part of the plan to create social welfare institutions for the benefit of textile workers and their families. The design was entrusted to the architect Antonio Caregaro Negrin and the supervision of the works to engineer Carlo Letter. The construction was completed quickly with the building of a structure of about 1200 square meters with a central body of one floor and two projecting lateral wings of two floors; the remaining area was allocated to open spaces and equipped greenery for gymnastic activities. The school, built in neoclassical style and intended to welcome children aged three to seven, was modified nine years after its construction to accommodate the needs of the growing population and workforce. Thanks to the addition of two more floors in the central section, the kindergarten could accommodate five hundred children. The classrooms face north and are located in the central part, which opens with an elegant portico and steps, while the lateral bodies house the meeting hall and the refectory; the basement contains the kitchens, laundry, and other facilities. Following the expansion, a hall with wooden seating and a balcony and a large classroom was created in the central part, later transformed into an auditorium for concerts due to its excellent acoustics. The building features the Cicero inscription “in puero spes,” hope in the child, demonstrating the full trust that the client placed in the younger generations. Although the project was not completed in some detailed solutions, the kindergarten still retains its original stylistic characteristics.
The building is currently under restoration.
Photo: archive of the Municipality of Schio.
