KSI Geneva

Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Scope: Primary School
Area: 7,675 m2
Status: Concept
Client: District Prague 5
Architect: Studio Seilern Architects

Our scheme for Smichov School anchors on the idea of ‘spaces beyond the classroom’. Floor plans are wrapped by oversize balconies, providing students with outdoor learning, play and sports areas. This new typology recognises that health in body and mind play an equally important role for young people by promoting outdoor living and learning, allowing each classroom to look onto a landscaped green area. 

Collaborative work between classes and year groups is a key component of our proposal, where clusters of classrooms are arranged around a collaborative space: a place of community and collaboration, where teamwork and projects can happen in a natural way.

Two key concepts guided the design:

• The extended balcony becomes an outdoor space adjacent to every classroom. Primary school children have a greater need for breaks and outdoor play, when they can run, explore bugs and plants, play in the sand or with a fountain. These balconies offer an unprecedented advantage where sport, outdoor play and activities are seen as equally important pedagogical concepts.

• Classrooms clustered around a collaborative space celebrates the idea of communal learning. These spaces are intended as an extension to the classrooms and more fluid learning spaces, where activities outside of the classroom can occur including plays, projects after-school activities or as relaxation rooms.