Conversion of Furniture House into Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38
31/08/2022.
[Olomouc] Czech Republic
metalocus, ADELA BONAS
metalocus, ADELA BONAS
Ostrava-based architecture firm Atelier 38 was commissioned to convert a 1910s furniture house into the new Czech Radio Olomouc building, located in the historic area of the city of Olomouc, in the eastern province of Moravia, approximately one hour from Brno capital of the Czech Republic.
The historic Franz Klein furniture building was designed by the architect Christoph Glaser, on a narrow and deep Gothic plot in 1911. The architect took the Gerngross/Herzmansky department store in Vienna as a reference.
Inspired by the Gerngross/Herzmansky department store in Vienna, the building was an avant-garde proposition as it was one of the first buildings to use a monolithic reinforced concrete frame in all of Austria-Hungary. After the great wars, the façade in Art Nouveau style was transformed and only the central space remained with slight transformations.
The historic Franz Klein furniture building was designed by the architect Christoph Glaser, on a narrow and deep Gothic plot in 1911. The architect took the Gerngross/Herzmansky department store in Vienna as a reference.
Inspired by the Gerngross/Herzmansky department store in Vienna, the building was an avant-garde proposition as it was one of the first buildings to use a monolithic reinforced concrete frame in all of Austria-Hungary. After the great wars, the façade in Art Nouveau style was transformed and only the central space remained with slight transformations.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
Site plan. New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38.
Basement floor plan. New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38.
Ground floor plan. New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38.
First floor plan. New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38.
Second floor plan. New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38.
Third floor plan. New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38.
Fourth floor plan. New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38.
Fith floor plan. New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38.
Section floor plan. New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38.
Elevations before and after. New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38.
Elevations. New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38.
Detail. New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38.
Atelier 38 paid special attention to the design process, preserving the visible structure of the building and not destroying the integrity and sculptural quality of the central space.
“In the course of the technical construction studies, during the project work and during the actual implementation, it was fascinating to discover how high the technical, aesthetic and craftsmanship level of our ancestors was. And the freedom of their actions more than a hundred years ago, free from today's many regulations."
In the gallery space, the divisions have been made mostly with glass walls so that it continues to flow freely and interact with the central space of the atrium. The shape and proportions of the broadcast studios, the control room and the studios were planned taking into account the integration into the existing structure. The colour white prevails throughout the building, with a strip of the night sky – ether blue where radio waves propagate.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
New Czech Radio Olomouc by Atelier 38. Photograph by BoysPlayNice.
Project description by Atelier 38
The department store for the furniture tradesman Franz Klein was built on the original narrow and deep Gothic plot in 1911, after the demolition of a residential building with a commercial ground floor space.
The author of the design was architect Christoph Glaser, who was inspired by the Gerngross/Herzmansky department store in Vienna. In 1911, it was a structurally, operationally, and spatially progressive building, one of the first implementations of a monolithic reinforced concrete frame not only in Olomouc but also in the whole of Austria-Hungary. After war damage, the original all-glass Art Nouveau facade was purified in the spirit of late functionalism in 1946 and provided with ceramic cladding according to the design of architect Jaroslav Česal. In contrast to these changes, the sculptural “sacral” central space of the atrium with sales galleries and roof lighting was preserved. During the communist regime and the 1990s, the house served its original purpose. However, for thermal insulation reasons, mineral wool was laid on the glazing horizontal steel structure on the third floor – thereby denying upper natural lighting.
The building had to be adapted to the new operation of the Czech Radio and also to current static, fire, thermal-technical and sanitary standards. During the design process, we tried hard to preserve the visible supporting structure of the house and not to destroy the integrity and sculptural quality of the central space.
All installations are guided visibly, are co-ordinated and form an artistic technological dialogue with the original supporting structure without suppressing it. Technologies are a colourful layer in a strictly monochrome space.
The space of the galleries has been divided to the maximum extent possible by glass walls so that it continues to flow freely and interact with the central space of the atrium. The shape and proportions of the broadcast studios, control room, and self-service studios arose from the possibility of building into the existing skeleton structure. The design and materiality of the studios are subordinated to the needs of spatial acoustics, white colour prevails as in the entire building, with a band of blue night sky – aether through which radio waves spread.
In the beginning, we worked with the option of removing the rear part of the building behind the atrium and building a new part for the recording hall with a pentagonal direction on the ground floor; on the floors then, to place studios with control rooms in ideal proportions and shapes for spatial acoustics, with constructions that ideally solve building acoustics. However, this option was abandoned for financial reasons.
In the course of construction-technical surveys, design work and during the actual implementation, it was fascinating to discover how high the technical, aesthetic and craftsmanship of our ancestors were. And how much freer their actions were more than a hundred years ago, freed from the many regulations of today.
With the purchase of the building of the former department store by Czech Radio and its conversion, the building gained a new dignified function and a chance for a second life. An “empty place” with dying energy in the historical core of Olomouc has been replaced by a new symbolic object.
More information
Architects
Atelier 38. Architects.- Tomáš Bindr, Martin Struhala, Hana Staňková, Pavel Malček.
Collaborators
Statics.- Marpo [Radan Sležka, Martin Sležka].
Building / room acoustics.- AVT Group [Martin Vondrášek / Karel Motl].
Electrical engineering.- Elektro projekce [Ondřej Křemen, Hana Matušková].
HVC.- Atelier 38 [Lukáš Onderka].
Ventilation and cooling system.- Mario Design [Marek Nos].
HVAC.- CM Projekt [Marek Cabal].
Fire-resistance.- JaK-Fire [Jaroslav Kutač].
Metering and regulation.- Petr Pawlas.
Building / room acoustics.- AVT Group [Martin Vondrášek / Karel Motl].
Electrical engineering.- Elektro projekce [Ondřej Křemen, Hana Matušková].
HVC.- Atelier 38 [Lukáš Onderka].
Ventilation and cooling system.- Mario Design [Marek Nos].
HVAC.- CM Projekt [Marek Cabal].
Fire-resistance.- JaK-Fire [Jaroslav Kutač].
Metering and regulation.- Petr Pawlas.
Client
Area / Dimensions
Built-up Area.- 642 m².
Usable Floor Area.- 2,270 m².
Plot size.- 642 m².
Dimensions.- 12,324 m³.
Usable Floor Area.- 2,270 m².
Plot size.- 642 m².
Dimensions.- 12,324 m³.
Dates
Project year.- 2019-2020.
Completion year.- 2022.
Completion year.- 2022.
Location
Pavelčákova 2/19, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
Cost
Construcción.- 2.760.000€.
Interiores.- 240.000€.
Manufacturers
Skylight.- ALUPROF.
Glass partitions.- LIKO-S.
Acoustic walls and ceilings.- AVT Group.
Xurtains.- Gerriets CZ.
Vinyl.- Forbo.
Glass partitions.- LIKO-S.
Acoustic walls and ceilings.- AVT Group.
Xurtains.- Gerriets CZ.
Vinyl.- Forbo.
Photography
Atelier 38
Atelier 38 is an architectural and design studio based in Ostrava, in Czech Republic. In 2000, a loose association Atelier 38 transformed itself into the existing limited liability company. Vladimír Milata is the Executive Director and Business Director.
They focus on teamwork, realization of contracts using both classic and alternative technologies, continuous education and development in state-of-the-art procedures and trends in our field of expertise including respecting the ecological aspects. They cooperate with a number of experts in technical infrastructure design, technical provisions of constructions, statics and others.
They focus on teamwork, realization of contracts using both classic and alternative technologies, continuous education and development in state-of-the-art procedures and trends in our field of expertise including respecting the ecological aspects. They cooperate with a number of experts in technical infrastructure design, technical provisions of constructions, statics and others.
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