Where the map becomes a playground. FA students transformed the center of the village into a lively public space

The initiative came from the municipality of Středokluky – Mayor Jaroslav Paznocht and municipal architect Ivan Gogolák approached the Institute of Spatial Planning at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University with the intention of creating a walking trail with places to stop. The students first developed an overall concept for the route and proposed various forms of intervention in the settlement and landscape – from temporary interventions in the spirit of tactical urbanism to more permanent solutions. The final form of the project was decided by a jury delegated by the municipality, which selected one of the submitted proposals for further development.

The author of the project is Martin Šnobr, with additional contributions from Emílie Čejková, Michal Hruška, Erik Holica, Mária Luniová, and Jiří Kouba. The student team independently prepared detailed drawings, planned the schedule and construction process, contacted contractors, secured materials, and implemented the entire project on their own. "Střed Středokluk is not only a unique architectural object, but above all a tangible result of dedicated student work and enthusiastic support from the municipality," adds studio head Šimon Vojtík.

A playful wooden structure has been built in the center of the village – a space for exploring, balancing, jumping, climbing, resting, and exercising. The shape of the structure refers to the street network of Středokluky, and visitors can symbolically walk through the entire village in a matter of minutes. The structure consists of standardized oak beams 30, 20, and 10 cm wide, with a uniform height of 15 cm. The different widths allow for a variety of activities and also symbolize the importance of individual streets. In the middle is a wooden deck stage for picnics or theater performances.

"The six months I spent with this great group of people was the highlight of my year. The students became part of Středokluky. Their endless enthusiasm and energy showed us that functional things can also be beautiful and creative. We are proud that such a unique meeting place was created in Středokluky," says Mayor Jaroslav Paznocht.

Design-build projects, i.e., teaching in the form of "design and build," allow students to design a building and realize it with their own hands. This alternative to standard teaching has a tradition at leading architectural schools around the world, and at FA ČVUT, it is mainly practiced by the Department of Design II.

The grand opening took place on July 17, 2025. You can view photos from the event in the Life at FA gallery.