Students will restore the tradition of climate spas in Karlovice and create wooden structures

Karlovice – Fifteen students from the Faculty of Architecture at the Brno University of Technology (VUT) will revive the forgotten tradition of climatic spas in Karlovice in the Bruntál region this year. During a six-day summer school Workshop, they will design and build their own wooden structures by hand, which will complement the landscape of the Hrubý Jeseník. This year's edition, titled "Nadechnutí," builds on the historical identity of the village as a former sought-after spa and recreational center. Ivo Dokoupil said this today on behalf of the organizers.

The summer school of architecture Workshop 2026 will take place around the Karlovice rectory from June 20 to June 25. It is organized by the Faculty of Architecture at VUT in Brno in collaboration with the Hnutí DUHA Jeseníky and the municipality of Karlovice. It was the Hnutí Duha Jeseníky, led by Dokoupil, that acquired the rectory years ago and has been gradually renovating it.

Until 1945, Karlovice was known as a climatic spa where people came for clean mountain air, tranquility, and a stay in nature. This now lesser-known part of local history has become the main theme of this year's edition of the summer school. "Climatic spas were, a hundred years ago, a response to a similar societal fatigue to what we are experiencing today. People came here to breathe not just in a medical sense, but also in an existential one. This layer of Karlovice's memory is still present in the landscape, yet we do not see it. Our goal is to make it visible again as a living invitation for today's visitors,” stated architect Jan Mléčka from the Faculty of Architecture at VUT.

During the six days, students will work without the use of computers. Each of them will go through the entire process from initial sketch to model and consultations, culminating in the realization of a structure at a 1:1 scale. The resulting installations will react to specific locations in the landscape, such as lighting conditions, terrain, views, or the sounds of the valley. Some will provide space for stopping and resting, while others will draw attention to details in the surrounding nature.

According to the organizers, the opportunity to implement their own design is an important aspect of architectural education. "There is always a chasm between the drawn house and the built object, into which many good ideas often fall. The summer school is a unique opportunity for students to experience this journey themselves. After seven editions, we know that this experience cannot be replaced,” added architect Tomáš Madro.

The center of this year's activities will be the historic rectory in Karlovice, which serves as the base for the summer school. The Hnutí DUHA Jeseníky has been involved in its rescue and gradual restoration for several years. The repairs of the building involve volunteers and local residents and aim to ensure that the building serves the public again as a place for education, gatherings, and care for the Jeseníky landscape. This year's edition of Workshop also demonstrates, according to the organizers, how the restoration of cultural heritage can be linked with the sensitive development of the landscape and the education of young architects. The completed structures will remain freely accessible to the public around the rectory throughout the summer.