Prague 7 Brings More Colour to Streets Around Schools
Pupils redesign Antonínská Street together with street art artist – project aims to enhance public space and make it safer
Photo: Praha 7
Prague 7 is continuing its “Asfalt Art” project. With large-scale, colourful paintings, streets around schools are intended not only to be visually enhanced, but also to be made clearer and more pleasant for pedestrians.
Following Rajská, Plynární and Jablonského streets, Antonínská Street was also given a colourful redesign in September. Pupils from the primary school at Strossmayerovo náměstí took part in the designs and implementation together with artist Jakub Karlík.
Preparations for the redesign of the street had already begun in the second half of the previous school year. Pupils from the fifth to eighth grades first considered how the public space around their school could be transformed with colour.
Photo: Praha 7
For inspiration, they visited the National Gallery, among other places. They then created drawings, collages and large-format paintings in class. These works later served as the basis for Jakub Karlík’s final design concept. In September, the pupils were eventually able not only to watch as the designs were transferred onto the street, but also to take part in the implementation themselves.
“Children have a particularly close relationship with the place where they go to school every day. Their perspective can give public space an entirely new energy,” said Prague 7 Mayor Jan Čižinský. He added that it was particularly pleasing that children from the neighbourhood could be directly involved in shaping their everyday surroundings.
Photo: Praha 7
Antonínská Street is an important pedestrian link between Strossmayerovo náměstí and Vltavská metro station. At the same time, it is located directly next to a primary school. The new colourful elements are intended to visually brighten up the area and help make the street clearer and friendlier.
Jakub Karlík is responsible for the artistic implementation. The artist works mainly in the fields of street art, graphics and design and has already carried out numerous projects involving the design of public spaces in the Czech Republic and abroad. In Prague 7, Karlík was also involved in the design of the new Spot Holešovice play and sports area, in addition to Rajská, Plynární and Jablonského streets.
Photo: Praha 7
With the “Asfalt Art” project, Prague 7 is using a comparatively simple way of changing public spaces without extensive construction work. Colourful areas on streets and other public spaces are intended to highlight individual zones more clearly, make the surroundings more attractive and, particularly around schools, contribute to a more pleasant street environment.
