How Bee World started
The idea of creating Bee World did not arise by chance.
Hulice lies in a landscape with a long beekeeping tradition and well-preserved nature. At the same time, an empty former school building stood in the centre of the village, gradually falling into disrepair and seeking a new purpose. It was here that the idea of bringing the place back to life began to take shape.
A major role was played by the courage of the local council at the time to change the status quo and seek a new path. Another impetus was the personal passion for beekeeping of the people who stood at the project's beginnings and who knew well how powerful, yet not always sufficiently well-known, the subject of bees was.
Gradually, the idea emerged to create a modern exhibition that would bring the world of bees closer to the general public while also supporting the development of tourism in the region. This was followed by research into the appeal of the subject and a search for inspiration from similar projects at home and abroad.
An important step was also cooperation with the Český smaragd microregion, which helped launch the preparation of a project study for the reconstruction of the building.
Preparations for the project began in 2008. A year later, support was secured from the Central Bohemia Regional Operational Programme, making it possible to actually carry out the entire plan. In 2009–2010, the project documentation was prepared, and the reconstruction itself began in October 2010.
Gradually, the original school building was transformed into a modern visitor space. A team of architects, scriptwriters and beekeeping experts contributed to its design, jointly seeking a way to present the world of bees in a lively, comprehensible and, above all, experiential way.
After almost two years of work, the dream became a reality.
On 30 June 2012, Bee World was ceremonially opened to the public.
The project was carried out by the Municipality of Hulice with the contribution of European Union funds. The total costs amounted to more than CZK 15 million.
And so began the story that continues in this place to this day–the story of Bee World.
Thanks and project authors
A number of experts, partners and enthusiastic individuals contributed to the creation of Bee World. We thank everyone who stood at the birth of this project and helped turn the idea into reality.
| Role | Name / institution |
|---|---|
| Investor | Municipality of Hulice with the contribution of European Union funds |
| Authors of the architectural design | Atelier K2 – Ing. arch. Jiří Poláček, Ing. arch. Václav Škarda |
| Cooperation – reconstruction | Ing. arch. David Šabata, Ing. arch. MgA. Tomáš Balej |
| Cooperation – interior | Ing. arch. Jan Medek, Ing. arch. David Šabata |
| Garden landscaping | Ing. Štěpán Špoula |
| Exhibition script | Jakub Dolínek |
| Subject-matter guarantor | Ing. Dalibor Titěra |
| Graphic design | Viktor Puci |
| Project manager | Petr Zapletal |
| Main construction contractors | Kaziko a.s., HG STAV s.r.o. |
| Interior contractor | Mgr. A. Miroslav Jakubčík |
| Construction supervision | Ing. Miroslav Šíma |
Awards
The Bee World project received a major award in the Patria Nostra competition in 2020.
It was entered in the competition by the Municipality of Hulice under the title Sensitive transformation of a former village school into the interactive Bee World museum in Hulice. The award is given for exemplary investment and architectural achievements that contribute to the development of the countryside and the quality of life of its residents and visitors.
Bee World was selected as the winner from five nominated projects in the Central Bohemian Region.
The 2020 Patria Nostra award confirmed that transforming the former school into Bee World was worthwhile.
Photo gallery
