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Vivacious colour and bold, completely contemporary forms intersect with a national cultural monument in Vřesovice, Czech Republic. Public Atelier and FUUZE have together transformed a Baroque Rectory into a primary school, breathing new life into its walls. The project intertwines new, energetic elements with original historical structure, the bold distinction between the two creating a stimulating tension that’s impossible to ignore.

The Rectory and parish estate housed a primary school and later, a day-care centre after the local church agreed the abandoned estate needed to be utilised by the community. When Public Atelier and FUUZE were brought on board, their task was to transform the remaining portion of the building into further classrooms, supporting an expanding the school’s capacity. The existing Baroque complex was in need of some major attention to save its rapidly decaying roof trusses and increase the functionality of its inner courtyard. The complex was built gradually and has been preserved in varying degrees, resulting in a building that required slow and technical reconstruction.

Related: Stories On Design // Architecture for Children.

Historical elements including classic plaster façade, red roof tiles, and copper plumbing sit alongside bright cubic extensions. Buildings that were previously separated are now interconnected with bright passages and corridors, a moment where the contemporary directly collides with the past. A red suspended bridge becomes a threshold with the power to transport students into another universe. Once inside, the world becomes red, bright colour coating all surfaces including their own body. There is a playfulness that goes beyond simple injections of colour. Instead, architects have curated different sensory experiences encouraging children to view their world in a million different ways. The design supports new possibilities of operation and movement, creating moments that allow children the freedom to choose how they navigate their surroundings. Architects state, “what is fundamental is the free space where children can move – the space where they can make their own rules in order to relax from order and dictates.”

Material pairing is an important aspect of the scheme, as moments of boldness sit alongside sensitive, quiet gestures. A timber terrace creates a light-filled extension of the classroom, allowing lessons to be conducted with a framed view of the Church of St. Peter and Paul. Exposed structural beams and the original sloping roof are now dipped in fresh white paint, creating a muted counterbalance to the pops of bright colour. A copper-clad façade nods to the orange hue of neighbouring original roof tiles while injecting a modern feel to the extension.

Public Atelier and FUUZE have brought laughter and learning to a former Baroque Rectory. The project emphasises the intersection of new and historical elements, choosing bold shapes, materials, and colours over a polite, softly spoken approach.

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