Glass Clinic at the Bend

The new building of the Dr. Pírka Clinic in Mladá Boleslav is glass from head to toe, except for the stone northern facade. Architect Martin Rajniš thoughtfully placed it in the bend of a curve under the rocky massif and connected it to the original First Republic hospital by a footbridge. The vision of glass was brought to fruition by Guardian Glass.


The current owners of the Clinic, representatives of the third generation of founder MUDr. Antonín Pírek, contacted architect Martin Rajniš.

Open arms

Rajniš designed the new building of the Clinic with consideration for the surroundings and with the idea of creating a pleasant environment for patients. Unlike other designs that placed the building next to the sandstone rock massif, Martin Rajniš decided to make the rock a counterpart to the glass southern side of the Clinic, which, in addition, references the patterns of clinics from the First Republic in its shapes. He connected the old and new hospitals with a fifteen-meter footbridge. Towards the rock, the building evokes open arms, an impression supported by the smooth surfaces of clear glass. The use of fully glazed facades must meet aesthetic, technological, and safety requirements, which may not be immediately obvious. "You might remember some older glass buildings in which you could see yourself reflected like in a mirror. In the case of the Dr. Pírka Clinic, glass was used that stems from an exactly opposite requirement - it should appear as natural as possible and allow for the connection of the external and internal environment," said Michal Hronský from Guardian. The SunGuard SN 62/34 glasses in the new clinic are very clear and have minimal tint. At the same time, they allow a large amount of natural daylight while managing to block over 66 percent of incoming solar heat to achieve a pleasant environment within the building. These glasses are also used in the roof glazing where the footbridge connects to the new building of the clinic.


The building, richly utilizing glass both on the facades and interiors, feels pleasant and airy, evoking exactly the feelings that the original founder of the private Clinic, gynecologist and obstetrician Antonín Pírek, dreamed of for a modern sanatorium in the 1930s.

A place full of optimism

Antonín Pírek had the original clinic built in 1934 as a place full of light and optimism where patients would feel good. A pleasant atmosphere with a family feel relied on details. Windows with low sills allowed even lying patients a view of greenery. Adequate daylighting of spaces helped speed up postoperative recovery, shortened hospital stays, proved effective in treating psychological issues, and reduced pain, as noted by various contemporary studies (e.g., the study "The distinctive properties of glazing"). The tumultuous years of totalitarian rule affected the Pírek family and the Clinic's operations. However, since the 1990s, local specialists have regained a leading position in the quality and number of performed joint replacement surgeries, general surgery, and plastic surgery, which naturally led to the need to expand the Clinic to include outpatient care and improve comfort for patients. Today, patients can utilize both buildings of the clinic and the restored garden featuring sculptures."If the external environment looks nice and is orderly, there is order inside as well, and even 'inside' the patients," said Dr. Stanislav Najman, the Clinic's director, in one of his interviews.

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About Guardian Industries
Guardian Industries is a global company headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, with operations in North and South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The Guardian group employs approximately 18,000 people and manufactures high-performance float glass, coated glass, and products for use in architecture, residential construction, interiors, transportation, and technical applications. They also supply high-quality chrome-plated and painted plastic parts for the automotive industry. Guardian's vision is to be the preferred partner for its customers, suppliers, employees, and communities based on mutual benefit. Therefore, they continually strive to improve people's lives through products and services that are valued more than other alternatives. They do all this responsibly while consuming fewer resources. Guardian is a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc. Visit the website guardian.com.