Pľac

PĽAC means place.
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It is a meeting point, a playground, a marketplace or a stage, a garden.
It is a place without prejudice.
It is a piece of urban furniture that creates space for spending time - for children as well as local residents.

The PĽAC project is the result of a participatory approach to space and architecture. In collaboration with children, teachers, architects, and architecture students, we revitalised a neglected courtyard and transformed it into a shared community space. The involvement of residents also strengthened their relationship to the place and their motivation to care for it.

PĽAC took place in 2016 through a series of workshops at the Special Primary School on Odborárska Street in Košice, directly within the community. During various tailor-made workshops, children explored their relationship to space – from creating fantasy worlds and giving them form through simple cardboard "furniture," to collectively designing a place for play and rest.

Based on the input gathered, a garden design was developed featuring wooden furniture, areas for play and community activities, new greenery, a community garden, a mini stage, and a resting space under a tree – all created in close dialogue with the children.