A year ago, they opened the pavilion of the Institute of Organic Chemistry in Prague

photo: strouhal.org

Prague - Due to its proportions, it was named cauliflower. The new pavilion of the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, which was opened a year ago on June 19, 2014, in Prague's Dejvice, stands on the footprint of a rounded triangle. The building, worth more than one billion crowns, was created thanks to licensing fees from the discoveries of biochemist and long-time head of this institution, Antonín Holý.
    The most successful domestic scientific institution has made its mark in the world thanks to Holý's unique research, and significant income from his patents still constitutes a significant part of the institution's budget. Therefore, the institute was able to finance the construction and reconstruction of the complex from its own resources and without subsidies.
    The design of the new building with laboratories and interior was created by the studio VPÚ Deco Prague under the leadership of architects Ivan Šrom and Kateřina Mašková. The design of the object was chosen with regard to maximizing the use of the complex’s spaces and to harmonize with the main building from the First Republic. Architects Šrom and Mašková wanted to maintain the symmetry of the complex in the small courtyard space, while also building a structure for the new millennium.
    Modern laboratories are constructed at the highest technical level and with minimal energy demands for the entire building. The three above-ground floors of the building, for example, house 18 large laboratories and the same number of evaluation workplaces.
    The fifth recessing floor offers a rooftop garden and is connected to the historical building by a bridge. Three basements serve the technical background of the complex, such as a library, chemical storage, and garages. The pavilion accommodates about 130 employees and is intended primarily for research in organic chemistry.