OUSHI

Institute of Social Health OUSHI of the Cyrilometoděj Theology Faculty of Palacký University in Olomouc

The corner building on the edge of the Olomouc urban conservation area underwent a major renovation. Originally a hotel designed by architect Jakob Gartner, it fell into disrepair and was subsequently transformed into utilitarian student dormitories by Marie Kudeříková. Nothing of the original interior remains. This case exemplified the awkwardness of socialist construction in dealing with historical styles.

The renovation presented an opportunity to rehabilitate the basic dual-wing layout and further adapt it for the needs of the OUSHI professional workplace within the Cyrilometoděj Theology Faculty of UP OL.

The corner location is emphasized by a new entrance and a new tower (helm). The most important functions are concentrated in the corner – the office of the institute's head, meeting rooms, and a small chapel in the tower's helm.

As part of the renovation, a staircase was demolished and rebuilt with a central landing, rather than at the edge, and an elevator was added in the depth of the layout, rather than on the facade as an appendage. The verticality of the staircase is illuminated by windows that bring light from the courtyard facade while visually connecting the shared spaces. In parallel with the staircase, a vertical social space for the school was newly created. Surrounding a skylight that opens onto the terrace of the rooftop garden, a study room and kitchenette are situated on each floor.

The staircase and social space are the core of the building. They are connected by a new bay window.

The interior is completely new. In principle, it is executed historically, even though nothing of the original remains. The proportions, window divisions, and ambiance still reflect the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Therefore, parquet flooring with a herringbone pattern, white surrounds, and a line under the ceiling were chosen. The walls are painted a subtle gray.

The staircase, as the main communication route, is white on the inside, smooth with a troweled finish over exposed concrete. It is a clearly defined new form. Its surrounding masonry is left unplastered on the outside, with visible interventions into the original walls, exposed lintels, and extensions.

The color scheme of the interior, including the furniture, is understated in soft gray-brown tones. The cladding and flooring, as well as the furniture—particularly the built-in elements—are varied from only a few types. The offices have built-in sinks and lighting.

The plain expression of the design aims to age well.

The building is maximally utilized, including the basement and attic. Within the roof space, an oval chapel is built, culminating in the cavity of the tower. The chapel's interior is soft, lined with wooden beech templates. It features a wall with stained glass and a tabernacle by Jakub Lipavský. The current shape, covered in sheet aluminum, has been dubbed "God's backpack" by its users. Light enters the chapel through openings in the helm.

The building's facades underwent recent insulation, so no interventions were allowed other than painting. The original neo-Gothic expression has been more or less erased. The added elements of the building are freely shaped in the spirit of that historical style, but they are not direct citations. Therefore, the risalit cornices have "batman" cat ears. The tower's needle is an empty spire, existing only as a contour.

• Location of the building: Kateřinská 17, Olomouc

• Authors: ječmen studio

• Investor: Palacký University in Olomouc

• Collaboration: Vítězslav Rejšek, Vojtěch Jemelka, Ondřej Došlík, Lucie Vyhlídalová

• Built area: approx. 357 m²

• Usable area: 1463 m²

• Land area: 621 m²

• Built volume: 7671 m³

• Project: 2016–2017

• Realization: 2019–2021

• Costs: 53 million CZK

• Photos: Radka Piskačová