On the weekend, we opened a free construction workroom in collaboration with our partner Czech RepuBRICK in the festival’s information center at Hybernská Campus. Older children used white LEGO® bricks and their imagination to build buildings of various shapes and younger children could play with DUPLO bricks. The workroom was visited by approximately 200 children with their parents over the weekend. Some buildings also featured tours for children with our Worksheets for Little Architects, which helped children learn about the history and architecture of the buildings in an interactive way. In total, there were 9 guided tours that were attended by approximately 370 children.
One of the new buildings in the program was the Hlávka Student Dormitory designed by architect Josef Fanta on the site of a former prison. Here children could see how the dormitory manages to follow the legacy of its founder and patron Josef Hlávka. There was also a children’s corner. Children could also go into the heart of the Old Town and explore one of the oldest churches found here – the Church of St. Anne. Originally a gothic church built in the 14th century, it inspired Czech author Jaroslav Foglar in his mysterious novels about the quarter of Stínadla. Today the church houses Prague Crossroads, an international spiritual center whose foundation was initiated by the late Václav Havel. The church – along with its gothic roof truss, the only one preserved in Prague – was reconstructed under the direction of Czech architect Eva Jiřičná.
Printing machines, a graphic studio, and other ateliers were open for children to discover at the recently reconstructed Podkovářská Premises in Vysočany, formerly used as a paint factory. During the tour, children could also visit the roof, which features a unique basketball court. The tour was followed by a workshop where children could make a 3D paper model of the premises. Designed by famous Czech architect Jan Kotěra, Trmal Villa features a lot of colorful motifs referring to traditional folk art while also resembling houses found in the English countryside. The tour took little and grown-up visitors alike to all the rooms in the house. Beautiful views of the city could be enjoyed from the roof of Quadrio and the terrace of ARA Palace located nearby. The latter opened stylish interiors of a coworking space.
Children also set off to explore the Great Strahov Stadium. The tour revealed the captivating story related to the stadium’s foundation; in the past, it hosted meetings of the Sokol members, mass gymnastics events, concerts, and military parades. Here children visited the grandstands, the presidential lounge, and the visitor center, and together with the tour guide, they thought about the possible future use of this dilapidated monument. Families with children could also take part in Open Senses, an interactive city game that allowed visitors to experience firsthand the barriers that people with disabilities face daily while moving around the city. After solving a crossword puzzle, attendees were rewarded with a poster featuring an illustration by Jan Šrámek of one of the festival buildings and a gift bag with a surprise from our partners. Organized by students of Arts Management at the Faculty of Business Administration, Prague University of Economics and Business, the game was attended by approximately 200 festival visitors.
Several buildings put their own efforts into creating a program for families with children for the weekend. Letná Water Tower held a fair on Sunday, which featured stands with unique products, refreshments, and a fun program for both children and adults. As usual, Třebešín Velodrome offered a free rental of special track bikes and helmets so that visitors could go for a ride on the fastest track in the Czech Republic. Moreover, there was a transport-themed playground in front of the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic, a film club for children aged 3–6 and a performance from a children’s choir at Goethe-Institut, and a creative workshop titled Visual and Acoustic Experiments at Troja Chateau on Saturday.
In addition, children could play with a jigsaw puzzle depicting the world map at the Czech National Agency for International Education and Research, see the backstage of Image Theater at Metro Palace and Na Zábradlí Theater, take a look at dance costumes at the Dance Art Center at Braník Brewery, and see dresses from the collection of the late first lady Olga Havlová at U Slavíčků House. At the majestic high voltage lab at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at CTU in Dejvice, children and adults alike learned how a storm is made.