<translation>Newly Built Workshops in the Area of the Nový Dvůr Monastery</translation>

The motto of the Trappist monks is "Pray and work" (lat. "Ora et labora"). In addition to regular prayers in the church, the monks raise sheep, manage the forest, and produce mustard and natural cosmetics according to their own recipes. With the growing demand for monastic products, the need for a separate production building arose.

The Trappist monastery Nový Dvůr was established in the ruins of a baroque agricultural estate in Dobrá Voda near Toužim, which previously belonged to the Premonstratensians in Teplá. The design was created by British architect John Pawson in collaboration with Plzeň architect Jan Soukup. The foundation stone of the monastery was laid in 2002, and the church was consecrated in 2004. In 2007, the monastery became an abbey, and the reconstruction of the former sheepfold into a guesthouse began. The project work on the production building started in 2010.

The concept of the entire complex connects to the historical axial composition of buildings and tree-lined avenues with the square monastery at its center. The main axis, west-east, is defined by a row of trees along the original access road opposite the main entrance to the residential (western) wing, across the garden courtyard to the passage of the eastern wing. The second axis is defined by the reconstructed guesthouse to the north and newly built agricultural and technical facilities to the south of the monastery.

The monastery is a complete living space for the Trappist monks; it is their home, school, place for work and prayer, hospital, and cemetery. Therefore, it is important that they feel balanced and content within it, as their mission does not allow them to leave and unwind as we do in everyday life. The minimalist architecture emphasizes the simple monastic life while being enriched by views of the changing images of the surrounding landscape.

It was necessary to merge the monks' requirement for the proximity of the production building to the monastery with the architect's vision of its natural incorporation into the environment. The design utilized the topographical arrangement of the land under the eastern wing and the garden of the monastery sloping far into the valley. Here, the architect positioned a simple cuboid mass, the counterbalance of which is the water surface of an original pond.

The aim of the design was:

The production building is partially basemented with one above-ground floor. The floor plan is rectangular, measuring 60.4 x 24.4 meters, with a height of the above-ground part towards the monastery of 4.6 meters and 5.7 meters towards the valley. On the ground floor, three entrances and a loading ramp connect to a longitudinal and transverse corridor that divides the layout into four parts - mustard production, cosmetic production, internet shop dispatch, and administration with facilities. The central point of the layout is the loading hall between both production areas, where the staircase and freight elevator to the basement are located.

From a structural perspective, the building is designed as a four-winged structure. The exterior and interior walls are made of perforated brick blocks, with reinforced concrete columns, both founded on reinforced concrete strips due to uneven geological conditions. The ceiling slabs are non-beam reinforced concrete monoliths. The facade of the building is insulated with a contact system featuring local stone cladding, which visually connects with the monastery's enclosing walls. The window, door frames, and frieze are made of Mrákotín granite. The window openings, together with the internal doors, create axes that allow for views across the building. As one moves through the layouts, sufficient light enters the corridors through the glazed doors, and views of the exterior are also visible. The spacious floor plan gives a sense of airiness.

The flat roof is designed as a "natural" green roof with varied vegetation of herbs, grasses, and succulents, blending with the surrounding garden when viewed from the monastery.

The interiors are designed in the spirit of John Pawson's minimalist architecture. The lobbies of the three entrances are lined with dark-stained wood, the connecting corridors have white walls and ceilings, and the floor is made of gray screed. The administrative area is visually identifiable by flooring made of oak wood planks; the remaining three sections (mustard production, cosmetics, and dispatch) have floors made of highly durable beige polyurethane screed. The hygienic ceiling tiles conceal the installations for connecting the production lines. The central hall with the staircase to the basement is lined with concrete bricks, and the doors leading to the production areas from the hall are atypical wooden ones, matching the dark color of the walls in the lobbies. The aluminum windows in a gray shade are complemented by solid oak sills in a natural color in the interiors.