Tyrš Primary School, Kuldova 38

Tyrš Primary School in Brno was the first school in Czechoslovakia where boys and girls were taught together in the same classrooms. 

The school was founded in 1932 under the name Tyrš Experimental Primary School, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Miroslav Tyrš, one of the founders of the Sokol gymnastics and sports association. Thanks to Dr Otakar Kriebel, the school’s organizer, it was granted an exceptional status as a school with a reforming mission. This unique designation shaped its teaching methods, which followed the principles of Jan Amos Komenský, the great seventeenth century Czech philosopher, pedagogue, and theologian, considered the father of modern education. The core of its educational approach was the global method, integrating various subjects into a unified learning experience. From the outset, teachers focused on individualized instruction while also encouraging students to collaborate and support one another. The emphasis was placed on the pupils’ own activity, not just instruction by teachers. The school worked closely with specialists, prioritised students' well-being, and actively involved parents in school life. 

The institution comprises two main multi-storey buildings, each following the line of a different street, converging at a curved ground-floor space that houses the school canteen. Instead of an additional floor, this space is topped by a terrace. The entire building complex is a listed architectural heritage site, designed in the Functionalist style. The architect behind this uniquely shaped school was Oskar Poříska, a pupil of the renowned Functionalist architect Bohuslav Fuchs. This set of buildings is included in the Brno Architectural Manual and is recognised as a heritage site.

In addition to school facilities, the complex of buildings houses a public library and also forms an urban landmark at the intersection of Šámalova and Kuldova streets. The elongated school buildings follow the street line and meet in the curved connecting structure with its terrace to create a V-shaped ground plan. 

Throughout the 1990s, the school underwent a process of democratization. In the 1996/1997 school year, a student parliament was established, allowing pupils from all classes to voice their opinions and influence school matters. In May 2001, the school became one of the first schools linked officially to the Faculty of Education at Masaryk University. In recent years, a school counselling centre has been successfully operating here, including a school psychologist, an educational counsellor, and a prevention specialist. This centre provides support for students with specific learning difficulties and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, further enhancing the school’s focus on individualized education.