Community center and kindergarten in Horní Počernice

CTU in Prague - Faculty of Civil Engineering

Project idea

The site is situated in the western outskirts of prague. On one side it feels like beeing in a village wtih a pond and houses with classic roofs, on the other side industrial area with big masses of warehouses and a motorway. The task was to design a building inside a project of a residential area that is already done. We had to fulfil the demand for a shared function of a community center and a kindergarten as this part of a city lacks both of these also considering the urbanisation thet is happening now.
The hight contrast between the family houses and the present warehouses lead me to the idea of main concept of the mass. Its hight slowly graduates from the „little“ houses towards the „big“ warehouses and creats „smoother trasition“ in between. The part of the mass consisting the community center function serves as „visual shade“ for the kindergarten. At the same time the peak of the building is directed towards the main road and serves as dominant for the surrounding area that i was looking for.

Project description

The centroid of the project is the multipurpose hall with spacious foyer serving for over 100 people for varied events. The angled walls and skylights makes unusual atmosphere during the performences, balls, etc. The community center also offers three club rooms for freetime activites and organising confernces. Three classes of the kindergarten of an overall capacity of 60 childern are opened into a big garden that is conected with a surrounding park.

Technical information

All load bearring structures are made from concrete. To differentiate the inner funtions on the facade, there are different platings used. The part of the community center is wrapped in corten steel and the facade of the kidergarten is wooden to be more "childern friendly".