Prague 9 has unveiled a new elementary and nursery school, the largest to be built in a numbered district since 1989. The school, which Mayor Tomáš Portlík opened on July 18, 2023, boasts a fully equipped building with a capacity for 800 students and three nursery school classes that can accommodate up to 78 children.
Despite significant increases in material and construction costs over the past two years, the project remained within its planned budget of 570 million Czech korun, thanks to the city’s efforts. According to Portlík, the cost per student for the elementary school is CZK 700,000, and the complete cost per child, including nursery school capacity, is CZK 650,000. This is unique in today’s market, as similar projects can cost double or more.
The school is situated on a plot of land measuring only 3,300 square meters, so architects had to utilize every inch of it. The resulting building includes more than thirty classrooms, a large gymnasium, an outdoor playground, a dining hall with a state-of-the-art kitchen, and a spacious atrium and garages.
The school complex is partially embedded into the sloping terrain, with the main entrance leading to the atrium and locker rooms on the semi-basement level. Additionally, there is an internal and external gymnasium entrance, dining hall facilities, and covered parking.
The kindergarten classes can accommodate 25 preschoolers in the three classrooms, each with a direct exit to the garden and enclosed playground.
The school also boasts a sports complex with a large gymnasium and a gymnastics hall that can be used as a fitness center. The outdoor playground on the gymnasium’s roof has a tartan surface.
Construction of the school began in May 2021, following nearly 13 years of planning. The administrative preparation for the project was complicated, taking ten years to complete. However, the building process proceeded smoothly, lasting only two and a half years with all the deadlines met.
Due to legislative restrictions, the new school will open with only the first-grade classes this fall, operating as a detached workplace of the Novoborská Elementary School. The school intends to open one additional course annually for the following three years, with thirty-three classes.