Renovation of the old school in Všechovice

Idea projektu

The subject of this project is the renovation of the old school building in Všechovice. The building, designed in the Neo-Renaissance style, was constructed on the village square in 1888 with an L-shaped floor plan. In the 1920s, a new wing was added. During the second half of the 20th century, the original decorative façade elements were damaged and subsequently replaced with a břízolit (pebble-dash) render. In the 1990s, a second extension phase introduced a workshop and garage. Today, the building lacks stylistic coherence, and several of its structural elements are deteriorating. The 20th-century extensions were demolished and replaced with two new wings, which complement the original building and together form a central glazed atrium. The atrium, situated at the heart of the layout, becomes the core space of the entire structure. Its double-height volume brings natural light into the adjacent corridors through the building's original window openings. The interior façades are designed as references to the school’s historic front façade, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of an outdoor courtyard. The external façade will be newly designed to reflect the original decorative style, with an emphasis on preserving the building's proportions. Key historical features—window surrounds, continuous cornices, and window lintels—will be restored in a simplified form, with a clean, minimalist, and less ornate expression. The plasticity of the façade will be achieved by alternating recessed and protruding surfaces, which create varying depths of shadow.

Popis projektu

Urban design: The surroundings of the building are currently neglected, with a significant portion of the space dominated by an adjacent roundabout. Due to the narrow pedestrian strip along the corner of the building, a one-meter shift of the roundabout southward has been proposed. This adjustment would create a forecourt suitable for public gatherings during ceremonies and other social events held in the former school building. On the southeastern façade, a new seating area is planned, featuring a deciduous tree that will visually separate the bench from the nearby street while also providing pleasant shade during summer months. In the gap between the renovated building and the neighboring family house, a covered bicycle rack and a community book exchange (micro library) with small seating will be installed, thereby encouraging community interaction within the village square. Architecture design and special layout: The building is divided into two main functional units. The ground floor is dedicated entirely to public spaces, while the first floor serves as the municipal office headquarters. The difference in ground level at the main entrance is overcome by an exterior staircase and an accessible ramp. Upon entering, to the left, is the public library, which will be relocated from its current inadequate location within the primary school. This new location offers better accessibility for senior citizens and sits conveniently on the route between the primary school and the bus station, ensuring continued use by younger readers as well. Opposite the library is a gallery space dedicated to local native Bohuslav Fuchs, which also functions as a foyer for the ceremonial hall. The new extension houses a central atrium—a bright, open space with a public café. At the rear of the extension, restroom and utility rooms are located. The second floor is used for municipal office operations. The executive offices face the southwest main road. The layout respects the original spatial structure, with separate rooms divided by partitions that preserve the historic proportions and ceiling heights while ensuring adequate privacy. Support spaces are situated at the rear of the newly added wing. The basement and attic remain designated as technical spaces, and are not intended for public or administrative use. Barrier-free access to the building is ensured via an external ramp and stair, and directly opposite the main double-flight staircase, an elevator is installed—potentially extendable to the attic level in the future.

Technické informace

The newly designed wings of the building utilize a load-bearing wall structural system. Due to the short span of the roof, there is no need to introduce additional supporting columns. The roof pitch of the new sections follows the geometry of the original structure. Drainage of the new roof surfaces is ensured by a sufficiently dimensioned internal gutter located between the roof sections, which redirects rainwater away from the central atrium. The glazing is sloped, and within the atrium area, two wide drainage outlets have been incorporated to collect and discharge rainwater from the glazed roof portion. The plasticity of the façade will be achieved by alternating recessed and protruding surfaces, which create varying depths of shadow. This effect will be produced using layers of highly reinforced lime-cement render of varying thicknesses. The vertical depth between surfaces will be 3 cm, ensuring the intended shadow play, surface stability, and reduced risk of cracking.