The design introduces a series of spatial elements that define zones without enclosing them: low seating walls, shaded benches, playful surfaces, and soft landscaping. These gestures create a porous boundary between the school and the street, encouraging interaction while maintaining clarity and safety.
A key feature of the intervention is the use of five distinct colors across the ground plane, each representing one of the five rivers that flow through Podgorica: Morača, Ribnica, Zeta, Sitnica, and Cijevna. This chromatic gesture transforms the yard into a subtle urban map, connecting the school to the city’s natural geography and inviting children to engage with their environment through symbolism and movement.
Materiality was chosen with care: warm concrete, natural wood, and permeable paving surfaces ensure durability, comfort, and environmental responsibility. The palette is neutral but inviting, allowing the colors of everyday life - children’s movement, seasonal vegetation, urban rhythms - to animate the space.
Existing trees were preserved and new plantings introduced to enhance shade, biodiversity, and microclimate. The landscape is not ornamental; it is functional, educational, and alive. Children now engage with nature as part of their daily routine, learning through experience and observation. The space is designed to be adaptable. It accommodates morning arrivals, afternoon play, weekend events, and spontaneous gatherings. The layout is modular, open-ended, and resilient to change. It invites appropriation, not prescription. Scale was carefully considered. Every element - from bench height to pathway width - is calibrated for children, educators, and the wider public. Lighting is integrated discreetly to ensure safety and ambiance without overwhelming spatial experience. At dusk, the yard glows softly, extending its usability and reinforcing its presence in the urban landscape.
As part of the broader MIKRO 020 initiative, this intervention joins a growing network of micro-urban spaces across Podgorica - each designed to activate forgotten corners, reconnect neighborhoods, and celebrate everyday public life. From schoolyards to green patches and civic thresholds, these projects demonstrate how thoughtful design can catalyze inclusive urban transformation.
The frontyard of “Savo Pejanović” Elementary School is now a place of dignity, interaction, and joy. It supports rhythms of daily life, fosters community, and reflects the school’s role as a civic institution. It restores the frontyard’s role as a place of welcome, not just transit. Executed with attention to budget, timeline, and long-term maintenance, every detail was considered not only for its aesthetic value, but for its practicality and resilience. In essence, MIKRO 020 is a spatial conversation between education and the city. It is a place where children feel seen, where architecture supports belonging, and where public space becomes a shared resource.
