The new municipal kindergarten in Planá, South Bohemia, represents a sensitive yet confident introduction of modern architecture into a historic rural setting. A sustainable public building made of timber has been created on a small but visually prominent site. Its form immediately reveals its purpose—a building for children that is part traditional, part modern, and somewhat fairytale-like.
With its completion, the municipality has rounded out a trio of public buildings on the village green—the municipal office (incorporating a pub), the chapel, and the kindergarten—thereby giving the village center a clear identity and significantly enhancing the quality of the public space itself.
The architectural concept divides the kindergarten into two functional structures serving two groups of children, linked by a shared small garden with a playground and an outdoor rooftop classroom. Each building has a distinct character, yet they engage in a harmonious dialogue.
The first building, with its archetypal shape, white plaster, and dark metal roof, references both traditional architecture and the neighboring chapel. A striking feature is a large round window that welcomes visitors while offering a view out toward the surrounding landscape.
The second building is modern, lightweight, and timber-clad. Its large round window on the ground floor faces the opposite direction—toward the village green, the chapel, and the playground. It visually connects the inner life of the kindergarten with the village, which can be viewed from a completely new perspective from the terrace and outdoor classroom. Moreover, a slide allows children to go straight from the roof down to the playground, creating a fully interconnected outdoor space.
The municipal kindergarten is designed as a timber structure meeting the net-zero energy standard. It demonstrates that even on the scale of a small village, it is possible to realize a sustainable public building with high ecological standards—one that respects the genius loci while delivering modern architectural detailing and a functional space for the youngest generation.
