Garden of the primary and kindergarten school in Koloděje

The crossing of Rokytka, ford, repairs of vehicles, lanes, the Vidrholec forest, bandits, trees, shrubs, fields, and flower meadows… all of this is imprinted in the concept of the garden design for the kindergarten and elementary school in Koloděje. The main motif is a distinct red path that expresses a journey through history, natural local biotopes and elements, connecting the originally fragmented garden and guiding children towards exploration and fun. The project was created thanks to a contribution from the Transformation Foundation and the parents who supported the initiative. The reconstruction of the garden then took place in collaboration with local residents and parents through volunteer brigades and assistance. Koloděje is named after wheelwrights (koloděj), who made a living repairing spoked wheels of vehicles, and the shape of circles and wheels is developed multiple times in the design, primarily in plan view. The red path guides children throughout the garden and offers them various stops. It begins in the valley, meanders around fields, meadows, alleys, rocks, and sculptures of trunks across the ford, sandy areas, and tunnels into the forest and birch grove, ending in the town (playground). Children experience various events related to the cycle of nature both on and off it, primarily through elements of a natural character. The play area includes a large sandy space with a water pump and a pond, a large trunk designed as an artwork (František Dvořák), and a composition of basalt stones (Stanislav Špoula). For gardening education, there are flowering meadows with both useful and ornamental perennials, an herb and vegetable garden, and a place for an outdoor classroom. Community gatherings and projections of social school performances take place on the surface of the sports field, which receives a more defined shape in the design and is bordered by logs for seating.