Faculty of Science Pavilion, Palacký University Olomouc

At the beginning of every great discovery lies an idea — along with countless crumpled papers and dead ends. This very process of scientific inquiry is reflected in the design of the new wing of the Faculty of Science at Palacký University in Olomouc. Discover a pavilion for future scientists, whose façade expresses the story of what takes place inside. 

Scientific inquiry inscribed into the façade. The new building accommodates three departments and provides open-plan laboratories, contemporary office spaces, and generous circulation areas. The central design motif is the façade — a visual metaphor for the process of scientific research. Just as scientists move through trial and error, the façade expresses this transformation. The perforated metal panels evoke crumpled drafts and acknowledged missteps, from which climbing greenery emerges, symbolizing growth, development, and the gradual formation of a coherent whole. 

The facade perforation was developed with a high level of detail; in selected areas it incorporates a graphic representation of a starch molecule derived from wheat, directly referencing the research focus of the Department of Chemical Biology. The facade thus serves a dual purpose — acting as a shading device while simultaneously communicating the nature of the research carried out within. 

Natural light is a key component of the working environment. A fully glazed ground floor opens the building towards the campus, drawing its atmosphere into the interior. The north – south orientation allows daylight to penetrate deep into the plan, reducing reliance on artificial lighting. The combination of glazing and external shading creates a balanced lighting environment that supports concentration and a natural rhythm of work. 

A place for interaction and collaboration The new pavilion is not conceived as a standalone building, but as an integral part of the existing faculty complex. A central circulation hall between the buildings provides a natural meeting space for students and academic staff. The older parts of the faculty are connected by a central staircase, lit from above by a skylight, which naturally organizes circulation throughout the building. 

A solution open to change. The building is designed as a five-tract layout, divided into blocks A and B with laboratories and block C with offices. The construction uses a monolithic reinforced concrete frame with load-bearing columns, which allows for future modifications of the internal layout without affecting the statics. The building thus easily responds to the changing needs of individual departments and the development of new research directions. 

Sustainability as standard. The Faculty of Science requires environmentally and operationally friendly solutions. The green elements grow either from the ground or from planters built into the façade and are irrigated by rainwater from a retention tank. Climbing plants take advantage of openings in the pre-set screening to create the impression of a living, interspersed canopy. The pre-set façade allows maintenance from buried crabapples and improves the energy balance of the building. Openable windows are designed only in the workrooms so as not to disrupt the stability of the interior environment of the laboratories. 

The new UPOL pavilion provides a background for research and at the same time carries the idea of how knowledge itself is created — through trial and error, concentration, patience and constant moving on. We believe that by 2028 it will become a distinctive symbol of science and a space that will inspire new generations of researchers.