Brno is Czechia’s second city. As a nexus of population, economic activity, tourism, and history, the Moravian metropolis trails only Prague. It’s just that it sometimes feels like an awfully distant second. Where the tight Baroque streets of central Prague spill out into majestic civic spaces like Old Town Square and the Charles Bridge, Brno’s urban fabric seldom feels as grand — or as whimsical. Yet, the place has its own distinctive brand of charm and beauty, amplified by an assertive contemporary design culture. And in the heart of the city, the revitalized Moravian Square Park is a testament to both latent vibrancy and newfound beauty.

Situated at the north end of the city’s historic and commercial core, the triangular 22,365-square-metre park occupies a prime civic location. Nestled between the Masaryk University campus and Brno’s National Theatre — as well as a variety of transit stops — was always a well-trafficked urban environment, if not exactly a well loved one. Comprising little more than a green lawn and a walkway framed by benches, Moravian Square Park was a space to pass through, but seldom a place to linger. Now, thanks to a thoughtful intervention by local studio Consequence forma architects, the park offers a sense of occasion, and a destination in its own right.

Organized around a central plaza and framed by comfortable new public seating and ample greenery, the reimagined park maintains an intuitive ease of circulation while creating a new civic gathering space.

In the middle of the plaza, a marquee fountain is by turns a tranquil, mirror-like aquatic surface or a whimsically misty — and pleasantly cooling — expanse. Meanwhile, the long jatoba wood benches that surround the water feature are backed by new plantings, including shrubs, perennials, tubers and trees.

Alongside the central public space, Consequence forma architects introduced corten-clad café and bar pavilion, which fronts onto a generously sized terrace. Throughout the park, care was taken to maintain (and rehabilitate) existing vegetation, including a stately tree that rises through the café pavilion roof.

Alongside 69 preserved trees, the designers introduced 80 new trees (comprising maples, oaks, sycamores, and dogwoods), as well as 68 shrubs, and a wealth of perennials and tubers.

Supporting a variety of uses for residents of every age — and throughout the year — Moravian Square Park also features a dynamic new children’s playground, as well as a 3,287-square-metre picnic lawn. And in the summer heat, the elegant fountain becomes an urban splash pad, already earning a playful nickname. They call it the “Brno Sea.”