he elementary school is located on the third floor of the main structure (the reduit) of the Šibeniční vrch (Galgenberg) fortress. Surprisingly, it was not difficult to convert the military warehouse into a school. The current architectural intervention for the restoration of this heritage-protected building is a salvation from decay. Children attend the school, and there is activity throughout the day. Thanks to the function of the school, repairs of other buildings in the entire complex are underway.
The Theresian fortifications of Olomouc are one of the largest complexes in Austria-Hungary. These technical monuments do not have an easy repurposing. After the establishment of Czechoslovakia, the fortress was modified; the reduit was fitted with an entire floor extension and an elevator addition. This has given the building height and elegance. The modern space, with large windows and a ribbed reinforced concrete ceiling, is unique. This is emphasized by the access via two historic staircases in the core of the original fortress.
The layout of the extension mirrors that of the fortress. Vaults are below, and walls are above. The transformation of the military warehouse into an elementary school involved demolishing the central corridor and creating classrooms and offices around the perimeter of the layout. In the center, there are social facilities and storage areas. The new wide corridor is articulated with new openings, creating a foyer with activities (ping-pong, foosball, library, etc.) in front of each classroom. At the ends of the floor plan are the school administration section and the cafeteria. In the center, there is a multipurpose hall (auditorium/exercise room).
All spaces have skylights, allowing the deep layout (22 m) to be illuminated and visually connected. The dominant ribbed ceiling with light lines unifies the space. Strict symmetry, repetitive arrangement of spaces, and a modest color and material palette create an environment of calm for work. Throughout the entire floor, the original cleaned brick structure with a concrete ceiling is distinctly separated from the newly installed wooden partitioning with skylights. Additionally, the shared space flowing from the corridor and the auditorium is distinctly divided from the classrooms and offices, where the bricks are painted white.
The project originated as a development of the spatial study for the entire fortress and adjacent lands.