Elementary School, Komenského Square, Říčany
After nearly ten years, a new school is opening in Říčany. It is the largest wooden school building in the Czech Republic.
In September, Říčany will open a new elementary school on Komenského Square, designed by the Rusina Frei architecture studio. The project, which emerged from the winning design of an architectural competition in 2017, represents one of the most distinctive contemporary public wooden buildings in the Czech Republic. The above-ground parts of the school are constructed from wood, and the building is designed to meet passive energy standards.
It has taken nearly ten years from the initial design to the opening of the school. The new building will become part of the 1st Elementary School in Říčany in the school year 2026/2027, and it will welcome the entire second grade as well as the first grades.
A school built of wood
One of the most distinctive elements of the project is its structure. The above-ground part of the building consists of a fully wooden skeleton made of glued laminated timber BSH, which is also prominently featured in the interior, creating a pleasant and natural environment for children's daily activities. Wood is significantly applied in the exterior as well, where the façade consists of larch boards laid in a traditional overlapping manner. This solution supports the long lifespan of the wooden cladding while allowing for its natural aging. Unfinished larch naturally changes its color over time and acquires a characteristic patina. The choice of wood as the main construction material also contributes to reducing the carbon footprint of the entire building.
From the outset, the project emphasizes sustainability and energy-efficient operation. The new school is designed to meet passive standards and utilizes a heat pump system that allows for pre-cooling of the building through the ventilation system during the summer months. Retention green roofs contribute to economical water management by retaining rainwater and enabling its subsequent use for watering plants. Photovoltaic panels are installed on the roofs.
Fewer corridors, more spaces for children
The architects focused not only on what materials to build the school with but also on how the children will move, meet, and spend their everyday time in it. Classic school corridors are therefore replaced in many areas by common rooms that create spaces for gathering, resting, and informal learning.
The heart of the school is the entrance hall with a staircase, which connects to a glass dining room open toward the park and the school yard. The design also includes two sheltered school yards and an outdoor garden on the rooftop terrace, which expand opportunities for learning and resting outside the main building.
The complex consists of two separate buildings - the school and the gymnasium. Their arrangement follows the original structure of Komenského Square while also allowing certain parts of the complex to be used for the needs of the city. The gymnasium is partially embedded in the terrain and directly connects to an outdoor sports area with a covered grandstand. It is linked to the school via an underground corridor, ensuring a comfortable and safe connection between the two structures.
The new school will provide facilities for 540 students in 18 standard classrooms. In addition to regular and specialized classrooms, there will also be school clubs, offices, a library, a dining hall with a kitchen, a gymnasium, outdoor sports facilities, and a janitor's apartment. The design thus creates an environment that serves not only the teaching itself but also supports gathering, movement, relaxation, and the communal life of the school.
From architectural competition to everyday life
For the architects from the Rusina Frei studio, the opening of the school represents the culmination of years of work, involving dozens of specialists – from architects and designers to contractors and city representatives. Starting in September, the original architectural design will transform into a real place for life – a space that will be used every day by hundreds of children, educators, and residents of Říčany.
Construction solution
The main building of the school consists of a three-story structure with one underground level. While the underground part is made of monolithic reinforced concrete, the above-ground floors feature a heavy wooden skeleton made of glued laminated timber GL32c in visible quality. A total of 937 m³ of wood was used in the construction, combined with 72.8 tons of steel elements and approximately 27,000 dowels and bracing screws. The ceilings are designed as a composite wood-concrete structure with a total area of approximately 4,830 m². The building's stability is enhanced by two reinforced concrete cores.
A prominent element of the interior is the central wooden staircase with massive oak steps. The high degree of prefabrication was also applied to the façade, which was largely produced from complete panels. In total, 190 panels in 105 variants have been installed, covering an area of 1,910 m². The exterior is enhanced by larch cladding made from approximately 22 kilometers of boards, which will naturally age and gradually acquire a characteristic patina.
The separate gymnasium has an open sports area over two floors and a balcony overlooking the playing field. Its roof is formed by substantial trusses made of glued laminated timber, 28.3 meters long. This construction allows for spanning a large space without internal supports, emphasizing the entire project's focus on using wood as the main construction material. The façade of the gymnasium is clad with shingles made from pre-corroded sheet metal, which also allows for the natural aging of the surface.
Technical equipment
The energy-efficient operation of the school is supported by an air-water heat pump system in a cascading arrangement with a total output of 310 kW for the school and 60 kW for the gymnasium. Both buildings are equipped with controlled ventilation with heat recovery, which, in conjunction with the heat pumps, allows for the use of night pre-cooling during the summer months. Classrooms are equipped with external shading devices using blinds controlled by an intelligent measurement and regulation system. Together with the appropriate orientation of the buildings and quality insulation, it was not necessary to install conventional air conditioning.
Photovoltaic systems with a total of 120 panels and installed outputs of 36 and 18 kWp are located on the roofs of the school and gymnasium. Energy-saving LED lights are used throughout the school. The fire safety of the wooden structure is supported by a sprinkler system with its own water tank of 117 m³.
The complex also includes underground parking beneath the gymnasium with 43 parking spaces and intelligent management. Green and retention roofs covering an area of approximately 4,000 m² retain rainwater, which is subsequently collected in an underground retention tank of 41 m³ and used for watering.
In September, Říčany will open a new elementary school on Komenského Square, designed by the Rusina Frei architecture studio. The project, which emerged from the winning design of an architectural competition in 2017, represents one of the most distinctive contemporary public wooden buildings in the Czech Republic. The above-ground parts of the school are constructed from wood, and the building is designed to meet passive energy standards.
It has taken nearly ten years from the initial design to the opening of the school. The new building will become part of the 1st Elementary School in Říčany in the school year 2026/2027, and it will welcome the entire second grade as well as the first grades.
A school built of wood
One of the most distinctive elements of the project is its structure. The above-ground part of the building consists of a fully wooden skeleton made of glued laminated timber BSH, which is also prominently featured in the interior, creating a pleasant and natural environment for children's daily activities. Wood is significantly applied in the exterior as well, where the façade consists of larch boards laid in a traditional overlapping manner. This solution supports the long lifespan of the wooden cladding while allowing for its natural aging. Unfinished larch naturally changes its color over time and acquires a characteristic patina. The choice of wood as the main construction material also contributes to reducing the carbon footprint of the entire building.
From the outset, the project emphasizes sustainability and energy-efficient operation. The new school is designed to meet passive standards and utilizes a heat pump system that allows for pre-cooling of the building through the ventilation system during the summer months. Retention green roofs contribute to economical water management by retaining rainwater and enabling its subsequent use for watering plants. Photovoltaic panels are installed on the roofs.
Fewer corridors, more spaces for children
The architects focused not only on what materials to build the school with but also on how the children will move, meet, and spend their everyday time in it. Classic school corridors are therefore replaced in many areas by common rooms that create spaces for gathering, resting, and informal learning.
The heart of the school is the entrance hall with a staircase, which connects to a glass dining room open toward the park and the school yard. The design also includes two sheltered school yards and an outdoor garden on the rooftop terrace, which expand opportunities for learning and resting outside the main building.
The complex consists of two separate buildings - the school and the gymnasium. Their arrangement follows the original structure of Komenského Square while also allowing certain parts of the complex to be used for the needs of the city. The gymnasium is partially embedded in the terrain and directly connects to an outdoor sports area with a covered grandstand. It is linked to the school via an underground corridor, ensuring a comfortable and safe connection between the two structures.
The new school will provide facilities for 540 students in 18 standard classrooms. In addition to regular and specialized classrooms, there will also be school clubs, offices, a library, a dining hall with a kitchen, a gymnasium, outdoor sports facilities, and a janitor's apartment. The design thus creates an environment that serves not only the teaching itself but also supports gathering, movement, relaxation, and the communal life of the school.
From architectural competition to everyday life
For the architects from the Rusina Frei studio, the opening of the school represents the culmination of years of work, involving dozens of specialists – from architects and designers to contractors and city representatives. Starting in September, the original architectural design will transform into a real place for life – a space that will be used every day by hundreds of children, educators, and residents of Říčany.
Construction solution
The main building of the school consists of a three-story structure with one underground level. While the underground part is made of monolithic reinforced concrete, the above-ground floors feature a heavy wooden skeleton made of glued laminated timber GL32c in visible quality. A total of 937 m³ of wood was used in the construction, combined with 72.8 tons of steel elements and approximately 27,000 dowels and bracing screws. The ceilings are designed as a composite wood-concrete structure with a total area of approximately 4,830 m². The building's stability is enhanced by two reinforced concrete cores.
A prominent element of the interior is the central wooden staircase with massive oak steps. The high degree of prefabrication was also applied to the façade, which was largely produced from complete panels. In total, 190 panels in 105 variants have been installed, covering an area of 1,910 m². The exterior is enhanced by larch cladding made from approximately 22 kilometers of boards, which will naturally age and gradually acquire a characteristic patina.
The separate gymnasium has an open sports area over two floors and a balcony overlooking the playing field. Its roof is formed by substantial trusses made of glued laminated timber, 28.3 meters long. This construction allows for spanning a large space without internal supports, emphasizing the entire project's focus on using wood as the main construction material. The façade of the gymnasium is clad with shingles made from pre-corroded sheet metal, which also allows for the natural aging of the surface.
Technical equipment
The energy-efficient operation of the school is supported by an air-water heat pump system in a cascading arrangement with a total output of 310 kW for the school and 60 kW for the gymnasium. Both buildings are equipped with controlled ventilation with heat recovery, which, in conjunction with the heat pumps, allows for the use of night pre-cooling during the summer months. Classrooms are equipped with external shading devices using blinds controlled by an intelligent measurement and regulation system. Together with the appropriate orientation of the buildings and quality insulation, it was not necessary to install conventional air conditioning.
Photovoltaic systems with a total of 120 panels and installed outputs of 36 and 18 kWp are located on the roofs of the school and gymnasium. Energy-saving LED lights are used throughout the school. The fire safety of the wooden structure is supported by a sprinkler system with its own water tank of 117 m³.
The complex also includes underground parking beneath the gymnasium with 43 parking spaces and intelligent management. Green and retention roofs covering an area of approximately 4,000 m² retain rainwater, which is subsequently collected in an underground retention tank of 41 m³ and used for watering.
author's report
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