Pardubice will build a new art school in Polabiny, architectural design selected

Pardubice - The city of Pardubice has selected an architectural design for a new elementary art school in Polabiny. The municipality aims to create a regional cultural and creative center. The school's capacity will be up to 1200 children. Construction is expected to begin in the second half of 2026, the municipal office stated in a press release.

"The selection of the winning design was an organizationally lengthy process. I look forward to how the new school environment will contribute to the development of artistic abilities of children in this area. If we maintain a very optimistic outlook, construction could start around the second half of 2026," said the school director Jiří Kabát.

The winner of the competition is the Pardubice studio Med Pavlík architects, which has designed projects in the city such as Natura park, public spaces in front of the train station, a kindergarten in Svítkov, or an apartment building with a piazza on Smilova street. The design of the new school building respects the urban concept of the Polabiny housing estate, said Deputy Mayor Jakub Rychtecký (Žijeme Pardubice/ČSSD).

"The new building will offer instruction in all four taught fields: dance, music, visual arts, and literary-drama. The current operation of the art school is fragmented across several buildings, and in some of them, the school has to pay commercial rent. Conversely, some non-residential spaces owned by the city can be utilized differently or sold as unnecessary property," said Rychtecký.

Two years ago, the jury selected architectural designs from 12 applications, inviting eight architectural teams to develop a competitive proposal. The municipal office chose a plot on Stavbařů street with an older, smaller school building, which previously housed a branch of the special school Svítání. Currently, a temporary elementary school for Ukrainian children operates there. Once the project for the elementary art school is prepared, the city will demolish the old building and commence construction of the new school facility.

"The costs for the design work, which we have covered in the municipal budget, amount to nearly 13.8 million crowns. The construction of the new art school is projected to cost 286 million crowns excluding VAT. The school building will be accessible," Rychtecký said.

The school is intended to create a space for meetings of students, teachers, parents, and art enthusiasts. There will be a roof garden protected from the views of surrounding apartment buildings, serving both educational and social functions. The center of the building will feature an atrium, which will include the main staircase and stay stairs, suitable for hosting smaller performances.

"The café, with the ability to hold smaller music events, is connected to the foyer. All spaces, roof gardens, and foyer will be accessible not only to students but also to their companions. The multipurpose hall will provide quality conditions for listening to acoustic music, including a symphony orchestra. Individual creative disciplines are separated to avoid mutual disturbance and provide a pleasant working and study environment," said architect Tomáš Med from the Med Pavlík architects studio.