The winning design of a new school in Stara Boleslav is based on a flexible approach that will allow the school to evolve in the future according to current needs. The building with its green atria opens to views of local dominants. The school will accommodate up to 900 students from sixteen municipalities and will be funded by the municipalities themselves, which are due to the small number of inhabitants unable to build a school on their own.

Thanks to its views, the new building of the Primary School in Stara Boleslav creates a teaching space with a ubiquitous reference to its location. The architects have integrated its linear, low-rise structure into the surrounding buildings and complemented by vertical green atriums. The school's internal space combines educational, sporting, and cultural elements without clear boundaries. The rational and simple prefabricated concrete and timber structure allows for rapid construction and the ability to adapt to the changing needs of the education system.

Safe harbor for education

The primary school campus will be built in the eastern part of the town, where it will become a center of education, culture, and sport for children from the surrounding villages and the public. The low-rise building fits into the fabric of the city, is partly open to the public, but also clearly separates the school grounds from the public space, ensuring a closed and safe environment. Students will be able to use not only the classrooms overlooking the historic part of the city with its basilicas but also the outdoor spaces and the garden.

The school's enclosed garden consists of a central courtyard with terraces divided by height, which serve as outdoor classrooms and an auditorium. The generous main residence garden includes an open grassy area reserved for events for students and the public. In addition to the playground, the space provides sports facilities in the form of an athletic oval, adjacent bleachers, and a workout court. Behind the grandstand, outdoor growing areas and an orchard of fruit trees have been designed, and simple gardens have also been laid out by the architects to house the school caretaker and other staff.

The compact volume of the building consists of three floors. The interconnected set of educational and sports functions is complemented by a canteen with a kitchen designed not only for students and teachers but also for serving food to the general public. As a social and cultural center, the school auditorium provides an acoustically comfortable space, which is accessible through a separate entrance and offers the possibility of holding meetings, theatre performances, concerts, and other public events.

Flexible and economical

'We aimed to design an environment that can adapt to changing educational requirements,' explains Ondrej Chybik, practice co-founder of the CHYBIK + KRISTOF studio.

The architects decided to use a precast concrete frame in combination with a timber structure, which allows for flexibility of interior spaces and rapid construction. They divided the façade into solid and glazed areas, with large-format windows and perforated green façade panels providing classroom ventilation and security. Also, large undivided windows between the classrooms and the corridor provide glimpses of the action in these spaces. The interiors are further characterized by an exposed concrete frame and wooden walls.

The efficient and dynamic operation of the building will be taken care of by a master control system. Cooling and heating of the school will be provided by heat pumps and each classroom will have its heating capacity control. Electricity for the operation of the building will be generated by rooftop photovoltaic panels. Collected rainwater will be used for horticultural activities, and retention tanks and a well will be used for sustainable water management. The glazed areas of the façade, equipped with external shading, together with the planned greenery, vegetation, and retention roofs will contribute to regulating the temperature of the building, helping to cool the surroundings and reduce the risk of heat island. Furthermore, by optimizing the infrastructure networks for the various teaching spaces, the negative environmental impact of the building will be minimized.

Design team: Ondrej Chybik, Michal Kristof, Jiri Richter, Natalia Korpasova, Daniela Pisingerova, Martin Holy, Martin Iglesias, Ondrej Zvak, Viktor Makara, Lucija Ritosa