The building of the Elementary Art School is located within a heritage zone, on the edge of the historic core of Hranice. Its mass, shape, and elevated position on a rampart above the Bečva River effectively close off the area. At the time of its construction, the importance of the institution was emphasized by a richly articulated, orderly façade that employed all the elements of classical Neo-Renaissance composition.
However, in the second half of the 20th century, this compelling interplay of weight and lightness, light and shadow, and above all, the representation of its purpose, had to give way to modernist technical practicality. Instead of cyclical maintenance, all protruding elements were insensitively removed, traditional double windows were replaced with screw-mounted tilt systems, and the façade was covered with a grey-red pebble-dash finish. This caused the building to lose its expressive power and scale, disconnecting it from its historical context. Additionally, a vestibule was added, whose orientation disrupted the original axial entrance composition, clashing with the rest of the façade and the adjacent square.
These brutal interventions rendered the once artistic building so indistinct that it became interchangeable with any other, resembling a clinic or barracks—similar to many other historic buildings altered during that era.
The architectural solution, particularly the removal of the disruptive secondary vestibule and the restoration of the main entrance along the central axis, is based on the original composition of the historicist structure. The desired hierarchy of the main entrance is further supported by the restored deep portal with tall glazed doors and a sloped terrain leading into a cobbled funnel, inviting entry from the forecourt of School Square. Another defining feature is the proposed return of a pair of statues to the attic, which are still awaiting their realization.
The sculptural treatment of the façades facing the square and city streets reflects the urban presence and significance of the institution. The new design of the historicist façade articulation, which restores the building’s desired plasticity and tectonics, goes beyond merely replicating old photographs taken before the unfortunate alterations. It ventures into the creative risk of contemporary interpretations of classical architectural elements—pediments, keystones, rustication, cornices, and friezes—while maintaining the original compositional logic. This logic is further enhanced by the tectonic integration of the wall into the overall orderly composition, supported by two textures of plaster finish. The crystalline forms, anchored to the required insulation layer and created using a special technique of applying a hard crust over a polystyrene core, aim to express both the dynamism of the present and the noble purpose of the building. Youth forward!
The rear façades are designed with consideration for their visibility from passing cars on the main road between Olomouc and Valašské Meziříčí. Their sculptural shaping uses a more planar expression with larger openings and variously beveled reveals.
In the design of the new sculptural façade—during insulation and replacement of worn-out windows—special attention was paid to the aforementioned “act of memory erasure.” This approach serves as a general example for other buildings currently suffering from the pitfalls of over-colored polystyrene façades and inappropriate plastic window replacements of standardized dimensions. The response includes a reduction to a single ochre shade, which highlights the play of light and shadow on the protruding elements and sensitively integrates the building into its valuable historical context. Unsuitable modernist window and door fillings were replaced with new wooden ones, matching the façade’s color and featuring divisions appropriate to the building’s age, surroundings, and practical use.