Masaryk elementary school and kindergarten

The functionalist school building in Černá Pole ranks among the finest works of architect Mojmír Kyselka. It is characterized by a well-thought-out layout and pure architectural form, featuring elegant façades and large windows set in slender frames. Its construction met the most advanced hygienic and operational standards of the interwar period and even anticipated later legislation concerning municipal schools.

The building was constructed in response to the urban development of Černá Pole following its incorporation into Brno in 1919. During the 1920s and 1930s, a new residential district with a socially diverse population emerged here, which was reflected in the school’s use – it was intended for children from a wide social spectrum and also served as a community center.

The school was divided into boys’ and girls’ sections, which shared common areas such as a canteen, gymnasium, reading room, swimming pool, and a multipurpose hall with a theater stage. Some of the facilities were entirely unique for their time – for example, showers and a swimming pool, addressing the poor hygienic conditions in the surrounding informal settlements. The spatial arrangement also reflected innovative approaches to education – a double-corridor layout, classrooms oriented toward the cardinal directions, and direct access to outdoor playgrounds.

The building’s massing is based on two perpendicular wings with flat roofs. The main longitudinal wing runs along Zemědělská Street and is complemented by a lower transverse wing with a central projection facing the street, housing shared facilities. The entrances are symmetrically placed on either side of this projection, and the façade’s composition forms an iconic cross-shaped layout.

The building was opened in  1931 and subsequently, Mojmír Kyselka project was awarded a silver medal at the 1937 World Exhibition in Paris. The structure still serves its original purpose today and stands as a rare example of school architecture from the First Republic that is both functionally effective and aesthetically valuable. In addition to an elementary school, it now also hosts a kindergarten.