Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri

A new concept of participatory school in which space has an educational function

The context

Following the 2009 earthquake in Abruzzo, the citizens of Pacentro have eagerly awaited the new Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri. It aims to provide the local community with a new, safe, sustainable, and innovative school building that serves as both a focal point for the children and a civic centre, where the entire community can 'come to life'. The site is in one of the most beautiful villages in Italy: the small municipality of Pacentro, in the province of L'Aquila in the hills of the Majella National Park, designated as a UNESCO Geopark. Since the 1960s, the population has gradually declined in Pacentro, leading to a significant reduction in the number of school-age children. In light of these circumstances and the aftermath of the earthquake, the new school presents an opportunity to breathe life into this small community. By attracting children from neighbouring municipalities, it aims to rejuvenate the area and restore a sense of territorial identity. The new building will be the home for a comprehensive educational complex comprising eight teaching levels: five for primary education and three for lower secondary education, catering to approximately 100 children in total.

A participatory project

The Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri is the first educational complex to be built using the post-earthquake funds allocated under the “Scuola d’Abruzzo – Il Futuro in Sicurezza” plan ["Abruzzo Schools - The Future in Safety"], and is the outcome of a participatory design process that began in August 2015 and was completed in December of that year. It was designed as a community-based architectural project led by MCA - Mario Cucinella Architects and LAP Architettura, with the participation of the associations Viviamolaq, ActionAid, and INDIRE (National Institute for Documentation, Innovation, and Educational Research), along with more than 60 schoolchildren, 20 teachers and staff, and over 140 local residents. Through active participation in this process, everyone had the opportunity to voice their needs and aspirations, revealing both the strengths and weaknesses of the existing school system. This collaborative effort was instrumental in delineating the features of the future "School of Desires”: a school that the children described thus in a letter to Mario Cucinella: “we want our school to be colourful, like our emotions".

A participatory project

The Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri is the first educational complex to be built using the post-earthquake funds allocated under the “Scuola d’Abruzzo – Il Futuro in Sicurezza” plan ["Abruzzo Schools - The Future in Safety"], and is the outcome of a participatory design process that began in August 2015 and was completed in December of that year. It was designed as a community-based architectural project led by MCA - Mario Cucinella Architects and LAP Architettura, with the participation of the associations Viviamolaq, ActionAid, and INDIRE (National Institute for Documentation, Innovation, and Educational Research), along with more than 60 schoolchildren, 20 teachers and staff, and over 140 local residents. Through active participation in this process, everyone had the opportunity to voice their needs and aspirations, revealing both the strengths and weaknesses of the existing school system. This collaborative effort was instrumental in delineating the features of the future "School of Desires”: a school that the children described thus in a letter to Mario Cucinella: “we want our school to be colourful, like our emotions".

A participatory project

The Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri is the first educational complex to be built using the post-earthquake funds allocated under the “Scuola d’Abruzzo – Il Futuro in Sicurezza” plan ["Abruzzo Schools - The Future in Safety"], and is the outcome of a participatory design process that began in August 2015 and was completed in December of that year. It was designed as a community-based architectural project led by MCA - Mario Cucinella Architects and LAP Architettura, with the participation of the associations Viviamolaq, ActionAid, and INDIRE (National Institute for Documentation, Innovation, and Educational Research), along with more than 60 schoolchildren, 20 teachers and staff, and over 140 local residents. Through active participation in this process, everyone had the opportunity to voice their needs and aspirations, revealing both the strengths and weaknesses of the existing school system. This collaborative effort was instrumental in delineating the features of the future "School of Desires”: a school that the children described thus in a letter to Mario Cucinella: “we want our school to be colourful, like our emotions".

Un progetto partecipato

A participatory project

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Un progetto partecipato

La Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri è il primo complesso scolastico realizzato con i fondi stanziati post sisma dal piano “Scuola d’Abruzzo – Il Futuro in Sicurezza” ed è l’esito di un percorso di progettazione partecipata che è partito nell’agosto 2015 e si è concluso nel dicembre dello stesso anno.

Un’architettura di comunità che ha visto il coinvolgimento degli studi MCA - Mario Cucinella Architects e LAP architettura, con la partecipazione delle associazioni Viviamolaq, ActionAid e INDIRE (Istituto Nazionale di Documentazione, Innovazione e Ricerca Educativa), di oltre 60 studenti, di 20 tra docenti e personale scolastico e più di 140 cittadini. Prendendo parte a questo percorso, ciascuno ha potuto condividere bisogni e aspirazioni, evidenziare i punti di forza e le criticità dell’attuale sistema scuola, dando così il proprio contributo nel delineare le caratteristiche della “Scuola dei Desideri”. Una scuola che i più piccoli in una lettera inviata a Mario Cucinella hanno descritto con queste parole: “la nostra scuola la vogliamo colorata, come le nostre emozioni”.

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"Designing a school tailored to the wishes of the children and the community means caring for an entire territory. It involves engaging in dialogue and in listening, to create a place that interprets diverse aspirations. Architecture has a social role because it educates and influences learning and relationships. By providing the younger generations with a school that is beautiful, safe, and innovative—designed for them and with them—we help our youngest children walk towards the future. We create spaces where they can live, have experiences, and discover and recognise themselves."

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The concept

The project's inception transcended the conventional notion of school design, moving beyond mere compliance with regulatory parameters. Instead, it embraced a new vision aligned with the pedagogical theory of Learning Landscapes. In this approach, a school is envisioned as more than just a physical structure; it becomes an educator in its own right, influencing the cognitive, social, and affective development of the child. The school is not merely a venue for encounters and ideas exchange; it serves as a dynamic space that nurtures excellence and fosters a culture of change. In this project, the architectural design revolves around a circular plan, supported by a structure of reinforced concrete and steel framing. The circular base was deliberately designed to hark back to the primal form of the circle, in recollection of Bruno Munari’s observation that "the first thing a child draws looks like a circle”.

The concept

The project's inception transcended the conventional notion of school design, moving beyond mere compliance with regulatory parameters. Instead, it embraced a new vision aligned with the pedagogical theory of Learning Landscapes. In this approach, a school is envisioned as more than just a physical structure; it becomes an educator in its own right, influencing the cognitive, social, and affective development of the child. The school is not merely a venue for encounters and ideas exchange; it serves as a dynamic space that nurtures excellence and fosters a culture of change. In this project, the architectural design revolves around a circular plan, supported by a structure of reinforced concrete and steel framing. The circular base was deliberately designed to hark back to the primal form of the circle, in recollection of Bruno Munari’s observation that "the first thing a child draws looks like a circle”.

The concept

The project's inception transcended the conventional notion of school design, moving beyond mere compliance with regulatory parameters. Instead, it embraced a new vision aligned with the pedagogical theory of Learning Landscapes. In this approach, a school is envisioned as more than just a physical structure; it becomes an educator in its own right, influencing the cognitive, social, and affective development of the child. The school is not merely a venue for encounters and ideas exchange; it serves as a dynamic space that nurtures excellence and fosters a culture of change. In this project, the architectural design revolves around a circular plan, supported by a structure of reinforced concrete and steel framing. The circular base was deliberately designed to hark back to the primal form of the circle, in recollection of Bruno Munari’s observation that "the first thing a child draws looks like a circle”.

The concept

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The spaces

The heart of the Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri is a large covered piazza measuring 15 metres across: a bright, colourful space for the varied activities of both the school and the local community, with the ability to embrace and shield all individuals, preventing social stratification by consistently fostering connections among all individuals and their surrounding environment. The central agora space encourages sharing and interaction, and has tiered seating for gatherings. The bookshelving along the back wall, designed by MCA and LAP Architecture, forms a continuous library. All the spaces of the school are centred around the main piazza, with large curving glass walls defining 'bubbles' that contain classrooms and offices. The teaching and learning areas, which include ateliers for practical workshops, depart from traditional classroom layouts. The sliding walls enclosing these areas provide exceptional flexibility, allowing for easy reconfiguration to meet the dynamic needs of school life. The floor features a resin finish, with warm yellow tones in the piazza and light grey in other parts of the building.  

The new schools complex also includes a canteen that is designed to be open, with glass walls that enable it to be used as a food atelier that promotes learning and cultivates an appreciation for culinary culture in the children.

The spaces

The heart of the Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri is a large covered piazza measuring 15 metres across: a bright, colourful space for the varied activities of both the school and the local community, with the ability to embrace and shield all individuals, preventing social stratification by consistently fostering connections among all individuals and their surrounding environment. The central agora space encourages sharing and interaction, and has tiered seating for gatherings. The bookshelving along the back wall, designed by MCA and LAP Architecture, forms a continuous library. All the spaces of the school are centred around the main piazza, with large curving glass walls defining 'bubbles' that contain classrooms and offices. The teaching and learning areas, which include ateliers for practical workshops, depart from traditional classroom layouts. The sliding walls enclosing these areas provide exceptional flexibility, allowing for easy reconfiguration to meet the dynamic needs of school life. The floor features a resin finish, with warm yellow tones in the piazza and light grey in other parts of the building.  

The new schools complex also includes a canteen that is designed to be open, with glass walls that enable it to be used as a food atelier that promotes learning and cultivates an appreciation for culinary culture in the children.

The spaces

The heart of the Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri is a large covered piazza measuring 15 metres across: a bright, colourful space for the varied activities of both the school and the local community, with the ability to embrace and shield all individuals, preventing social stratification by consistently fostering connections among all individuals and their surrounding environment. The central agora space encourages sharing and interaction, and has tiered seating for gatherings. The bookshelving along the back wall, designed by MCA and LAP Architecture, forms a continuous library. All the spaces of the school are centred around the main piazza, with large curving glass walls defining 'bubbles' that contain classrooms and offices. The teaching and learning areas, which include ateliers for practical workshops, depart from traditional classroom layouts. The sliding walls enclosing these areas provide exceptional flexibility, allowing for easy reconfiguration to meet the dynamic needs of school life. The floor features a resin finish, with warm yellow tones in the piazza and light grey in other parts of the building.  

The new schools complex also includes a canteen that is designed to be open, with glass walls that enable it to be used as a food atelier that promotes learning and cultivates an appreciation for culinary culture in the children.

Gli spazi

The spaces

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Gli spazi

Il cuore della Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri è una grande piazza coperta di 15 metri, colorata, luminosa e adattabile ai diversi utilizzi della vita scolastica e cittadina, che è capace di accogliere e proteggere non facendo distinzioni sociali e mettendo ciascuno in continua relazione con gli altri e con l’ambiente circostante. L’agorà centrale è il luogo della condivisione e ospita un sistema di sedute a gradoni con libreria sulla parete posteriore, progettato dagli studi MCA e LAP architettura per creare una biblioteca diffusa. Attorno alla piazza si articolano tutti gli ambienti della scuola: grandi pareti curve e trasparenti definiscono delle “bolle” che ospitano le classi, gli uffici e gli spazi per la didattica e l’apprendimento, svincolati dal tradizionale concetto di aula, come gli atelier per approfondire le esperienze pratiche di laboratorio. Tutti gli spazi didattici, delimitati da pareti scorrevoli, sono ampiamente flessibili e rimodulabili sulla base delle esigenze quotidiane della vita scolastica. La pavimentazione è in resina e assume i toni del giallo caldo in corrispondenza della piazza e quelli del grigio chiaro negli altri ambienti della scuola.  

Il nuovo polo scolastico è dotato, inoltre, di una mensa progettata a vista e delimitata da vetrate per essere un atelier del cibo, così da promuovere l’apprendimento e diffondere una cultura gastronomica tra i giovani studenti.

Atelier scenario diagram by LAP
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Classrooms scenario diagram by LAP
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COC scenario diagram by LAP
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Piazza scenario diagram by LAP
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School scenario diagram by LAP
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Spatial flexibility

"The Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri exemplifies how a project involving children, parents, teachers, and the broader community can be shaped autonomously by their ideas and hopes. For us, this project represented a school in its broadest sense, where we learned and applied the principles of participatory and sustainable design. The outcome is a building that seamlessly blends with the landscape of the Majella National Park, a UNESCO Geopark, making it both ecologically sound and forward-thinking. The school of dreams that becomes a reality.”

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The roof

The defining feature of the Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri is its unique roof: a disc-shaped garden covered with vegetation, including resilient sedums, which can withstand both biotic and abiotic stresses.

Designed following bioclimatic principles, the roof includes a 6-metre overhang on the south side. This effectively blocks intense summer radiation whilst allowing solar radiation to enter during the winter, which aids the heating of the interior. In addition, there are numerous skylights that are intended to evoke the idea of a "starry sky," fulfilling the wish of the children of Pacentro to be able to see the night sky from inside their school.

The roof

The defining feature of the Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri is its unique roof: a disc-shaped garden covered with vegetation, including resilient sedums, which can withstand both biotic and abiotic stresses.

Designed following bioclimatic principles, the roof includes a 6-metre overhang on the south side. This effectively blocks intense summer radiation whilst allowing solar radiation to enter during the winter, which aids the heating of the interior. In addition, there are numerous skylights that are intended to evoke the idea of a "starry sky," fulfilling the wish of the children of Pacentro to be able to see the night sky from inside their school.

The roof

The defining feature of the Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri is its unique roof: a disc-shaped garden covered with vegetation, including resilient sedums, which can withstand both biotic and abiotic stresses.

Designed following bioclimatic principles, the roof includes a 6-metre overhang on the south side. This effectively blocks intense summer radiation whilst allowing solar radiation to enter during the winter, which aids the heating of the interior. In addition, there are numerous skylights that are intended to evoke the idea of a "starry sky," fulfilling the wish of the children of Pacentro to be able to see the night sky from inside their school.

La copertura

The roof

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La copertura

La copertura è l’elemento distintivo della Scuola dei Desideri Mario Silvestri: un tetto giardino discoidale ricoperto da vegetazione, tra cui il Sedum, resistente agli stress biotici e abiotici.

Progettata secondo i principi del design bioclimatico, la copertura presenta uno sbalzo di 6 metri a sud che la rende capace di schermare le radiazioni forti estive e di far penetrare quelle utili al riscaldamento interno durante il periodo invernale. I numerosi lucernari presenti, inoltre, sono pensati per richiamare l’idea del “cielo stellato” e rispondere al desiderio espresso dai bambini di Pacentro di poter vedere la volta celeste dall’interno della loro scuola.

The dialogue with the outside world

The building is designed to harmonise and interact with its surrounding environment. An artificial "dune" encircles it like a ring, partially hiding the structure within the terrain. This dune shelters the building from the wind and gradually reveals the structure to those approaching along the entrance path.

There is strong integration between the internal and external spaces, conceived as a continuous whole. Nature enters the piazza, guiding the gaze, while the trees filter the light. Their changing colours and tones mark the passage of the seasons. The rhythm of the continuous wall of extra-clear glass is punctuated by window frames that mimic the texture of a mountain forest, serving as a filter with the Apennine landscape. The glazed French doors provide direct access to the outdoor garden, facilitating outdoor teaching.

The dialogue with the outside world

The building is designed to harmonise and interact with its surrounding environment. An artificial "dune" encircles it like a ring, partially hiding the structure within the terrain. This dune shelters the building from the wind and gradually reveals the structure to those approaching along the entrance path.

There is strong integration between the internal and external spaces, conceived as a continuous whole. Nature enters the piazza, guiding the gaze, while the trees filter the light. Their changing colours and tones mark the passage of the seasons. The rhythm of the continuous wall of extra-clear glass is punctuated by window frames that mimic the texture of a mountain forest, serving as a filter with the Apennine landscape. The glazed French doors provide direct access to the outdoor garden, facilitating outdoor teaching.

The dialogue with the outside world

The building is designed to harmonise and interact with its surrounding environment. An artificial "dune" encircles it like a ring, partially hiding the structure within the terrain. This dune shelters the building from the wind and gradually reveals the structure to those approaching along the entrance path.

There is strong integration between the internal and external spaces, conceived as a continuous whole. Nature enters the piazza, guiding the gaze, while the trees filter the light. Their changing colours and tones mark the passage of the seasons. The rhythm of the continuous wall of extra-clear glass is punctuated by window frames that mimic the texture of a mountain forest, serving as a filter with the Apennine landscape. The glazed French doors provide direct access to the outdoor garden, facilitating outdoor teaching.

Il dialogo con l’esterno

The dialogue with the outside world

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Il dialogo con l’esterno

L’edificio si sviluppa in armonia e in dialogo con l’ambiente circostante e risulta parzialmente nascosto dal terreno grazie a una “duna” artificiale che circonda l’edificio come un anello, lo ripara dal vento e lo svela gradualmente alla vista di chi si avvicina lungo il percorso di accesso.

Forte è la commistione tra gli spazi interni ed esterni che sono stati concepiti insieme, in continuità: la natura entra nella piazza e guida lo sguardo, gli alberi filtrano la luce e, cambiando colore e toni, definiscono lo scorrere delle stagioni. A fare da filtro con il paesaggio appenninico, una parete vetrata continua in vetro extraclear, il cui ritmo è scandito dall’intelaiatura degli infissi a vista che ripropongono la trama di un bosco di montagna. Le porte finestre vetrate consentono l’accesso diretto al giardino esterno e facilitano lo svolgimento di attività didattiche all’aperto.

Bioclimatic Diagram

Bioclimatic Diagram

Bioclimatic Diagram

Bioclimatic Diagram

Bioclimatic Diagram

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Bioclimatic Diagram

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Client
Comune di Pacentro
Location
Pacentro, Italy
Year
2024
Type
Education
Category
Architecture
Area
5125 sqm
Status
Completed

Project

Mario Cucinella Architects
LAP architettura

Project Team

Architect
Daniel Caramanico (LAP architettura)
Architect
Federico Sorgi (LAP architettura)
Architect
Simone Esposito (LAP architettura)
Architect
Mauro D’Angelo (LAP architettura)
Architect
Stefano Mont Girbes (LAP architettura)
Architect
Matteo De Marco (LAP architettura)
Architect
Andrea Ciammetti (LAP architettura)
Team Member
Interior Design
MCA
Architect
Senior Material Specialist
Lucrezia Rendace
Architect
Daniel Caramanico (LAP architettura)
Architect
Federico Sorgi (LAP architettura)
Architect
Simone Esposito (LAP architettura)
Architect
Mauro D’Angelo (LAP architettura)
Architect
Stefano Mont Girbes (LAP architettura)
Architect
Matteo De Marco (LAP architettura)
Architect
Andrea Ciammetti (LAP architettura)
Team Member
Interior Design
MCA
Architect
Senior Material Specialist
Lucrezia Rendace
Architect
Daniel Caramanico (LAP architettura)
Architect
Federico Sorgi (LAP architettura)
Architect
Simone Esposito (LAP architettura)
Architect
Mauro D’Angelo (LAP architettura)
Architect
Stefano Mont Girbes (LAP architettura)
Architect
Matteo De Marco (LAP architettura)
Architect
Andrea Ciammetti (LAP architettura)
Team Member
Interior Design
MCA
Architect
Senior Material Specialist
Lucrezia Rendace
Architect
Daniel Caramanico (LAP architettura)
Architect
Federico Sorgi (LAP architettura)
Architect
Simone Esposito (LAP architettura)
Architect
Mauro D’Angelo (LAP architettura)
Architect
Stefano Mont Girbes (LAP architettura)
Architect
Matteo De Marco (LAP architettura)
Architect
Andrea Ciammetti (LAP architettura)
Team Member
Interior Design
MCA
Architect
Senior Material Specialist
Lucrezia Rendace
Architect
Daniel Caramanico (LAP architettura)
Architect
Federico Sorgi (LAP architettura)
Architect
Simone Esposito (LAP architettura)
Architect
Mauro D’Angelo (LAP architettura)
Architect
Stefano Mont Girbes (LAP architettura)
Architect
Matteo De Marco (LAP architettura)
Architect
Andrea Ciammetti (LAP architettura)
Team Member
Interior Design
MCA
Architect
Senior Material Specialist
Lucrezia Rendace
Architect
Daniel Caramanico (LAP architettura)
Architect
Federico Sorgi (LAP architettura)
Architect
Simone Esposito (LAP architettura)
Architect
Mauro D’Angelo (LAP architettura)
Architect
Stefano Mont Girbes (LAP architettura)
Architect
Matteo De Marco (LAP architettura)
Architect
Andrea Ciammetti (LAP architettura)
Team Member
Interior Design
MCA
Architect
Senior Material Specialist
Lucrezia Rendace
Architect
Daniel Caramanico (LAP architettura)
Architect
Federico Sorgi (LAP architettura)
Architect
Simone Esposito (LAP architettura)
Architect
Mauro D’Angelo (LAP architettura)
Architect
Stefano Mont Girbes (LAP architettura)
Architect
Matteo De Marco (LAP architettura)
Architect
Andrea Ciammetti (LAP architettura)
Team Member
Interior Design
MCA
Architect
Senior Material Specialist
Lucrezia Rendace
Architect
Daniel Caramanico (LAP architettura)
Architect
Federico Sorgi (LAP architettura)
Architect
Simone Esposito (LAP architettura)
Architect
Mauro D’Angelo (LAP architettura)
Architect
Stefano Mont Girbes (LAP architettura)
Architect
Matteo De Marco (LAP architettura)
Architect
Andrea Ciammetti (LAP architettura)
Team Member
Interior Design
MCA
Architect
Senior Material Specialist
Lucrezia Rendace
Architect
Daniel Caramanico (LAP architettura)
Architect
Federico Sorgi (LAP architettura)
Architect
Simone Esposito (LAP architettura)
Architect
Mauro D’Angelo (LAP architettura)
Architect
Stefano Mont Girbes (LAP architettura)
Architect
Matteo De Marco (LAP architettura)
Architect
Andrea Ciammetti (LAP architettura)
Team Member
Interior Design
MCA
Architect
Senior Material Specialist
Lucrezia Rendace
Executive Project
Dunamis Architettura
Structural Project
Giovanni Accili
Plant Project
Marco Santangelo, Rino Antonelli
Participation Laboratories
ActionAid, LAP, Viviamolaq
Visual
MCA Visual, LAP architettura, Dunamis
MCA Visual, LAP architettura, Dunamis
Photo
Walter Vecchio
Walter Vecchio
Executive Project
Dunamis Architettura
Structural Project
Giovanni Accili
Plant Project
Marco Santangelo, Rino Antonelli
Participation Laboratories
ActionAid, LAP, Viviamolaq
Visual
MCA Visual, LAP architettura, Dunamis
Photo
Walter Vecchio
Executive Project
Dunamis Architettura
Structural Project
Giovanni Accili
Plant Project
Marco Santangelo, Rino Antonelli
Participation Laboratories
ActionAid, LAP, Viviamolaq
Visual
MCA Visual, LAP architettura, Dunamis
Photo
Walter Vecchio
Executive Project
Dunamis Architettura
Structural Project
Giovanni Accili
Plant Project
Marco Santangelo, Rino Antonelli
Participation Laboratories
ActionAid, LAP, Viviamolaq
Visual
MCA Visual, LAP architettura, Dunamis
Photo
Walter Vecchio
No items found.