After three years, it’s finally complete. Palacký University has officially opened its new building on Hněvotínská Street, which has begun serving the needs of the UP Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and the UP Faculty of Health Sciences. Behind the distinctive red triangular features on the exterior – which have led to the building being nicknamed ‘Červená’ (Red) – lie modern simulators for practical student training, a circular lecture theatre with a seating capacity of 375, and a canteen capable of serving 2,000 diners a day.
The grand opening of this striking new building was attended by representatives of the university and its faculties, the region and a number of other distinguished guests; Health Minister Adam Vojtěch also accepted the invitation. The new premises were blessed by the Archbishop of Olomouc, Josef Nuzík.
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“Training future doctors and other healthcare professionals is one of our university’s most important tasks. The new building enables us to offer students better conditions and more space for practical training, so that they enter healthcare facilities as well-prepared as possible. Ultimately, it is patients who will benefit most from this investment. “I would like to thank everyone who was involved in the planning and construction of the building and who helped turn this ambitious project into reality,” said UP Rector Michael Kohajda.
A milestone for healthcare in Olomouc
According to Milan Kolář, Dean of the UP Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, this marks another significant milestone in the faculty’s development. “I am delighted that we have succeeded in bringing this project to fruition. Not only is the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry now set for the next 20–30 years in terms of its space requirements, but this also represents another step towards our goal of establishing an excellent European-level healthcare centre in Olomouc, encompassing teaching, research and the provision of high-quality healthcare, of which our faculty, the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Olomouc University Hospital,” said the Dean.
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Among other things, the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry has gained an auditorium with a capacity of 375 people in the new building. The faculty did not previously have a lecture theatre of this size at its disposal, but the need for one arose following the approval of the national programme to support an increase in capacity for the General Medicine programme in 2019, thanks to which the faculty is now training more future doctors.
“The auditorium’s capacity enables us to accommodate a higher number of students under the national programme, with around 270 students entering the first year of General Medicine. The circular shape of the auditorium is also of particular interest. The architect designed this amphitheatre-style layout in view of the site’s layout, which did not allow for a conventional lecture theatre layout with the capacity we required. In terms of technical equipment, too, the auditorium is among the most modern in the Czech Republic,” added Milan Kolář, Dean of the UP Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.
Simulation of clinical reality
The simulation centre is also state-of-the-art. Using modern simulators that fairly faithfully replicate real clinical situations, students of General Medicine will acquire various practical skills before they begin treating live patients. The simulation centre will also serve students of Dentistry and will be used for specialist and postgraduate training.
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The Faculty of Health Sciences at Palacký University has also centralised its simulation teaching within the new building. “Thanks to the national programme to support the training of non-medical healthcare professionals, we have been able to acquire state-of-the-art simulators for the training of general and paediatric nurses, midwives, radiology assistants and paramedics, with some 290 students starting their first year. “Among other things, we have equipped four training rooms that simulate real hospital operations, including intensive care,” explained Jiří Vévoda, Dean of the UP Faculty of Health Sciences.
He added that he sees the premises in the new building as the first step towards the further development of his faculty. “In order to meet the high demand for non-medical healthcare professions, I believe that in the near future we will succeed in securing funding for a building in which non-medical healthcare disciplines would be centralised, and a substantial part of the faculty could move into its own premises.”
A canteen had been missing until now
An important part of the newly opened building is the canteen, which can serve up to 2,000 diners a day; in addition, a bistro operates there throughout the day. Until now, there had been no comprehensive catering facilities in the university buildings on the university hospital campus.
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“The canteen is equipped with the very latest technology currently available in the catering industry, and the menu reflects current dietary trends, including meat-free and vegan dishes. However, the canteen is not just a place for lunch; during the day it can also serve as a pleasant space for studying or relaxing, where students and staff alike can enjoy a good coffee or something from our own production,” said Jan Liška, director of the UP Accommodation and Dining Services.
Three thousand triangles
The design of the Red Building is the work of Brno-based Ateliér Velehradský, whilst the construction was carried out by GEMO. Construction began in late summer 2023. Even the shape of the shell of the building attracted the attention of passers-by, and this was further enhanced once workers began installing a shading system on the outer cladding, consisting of three thousand triangles made of red perforated sheet metal. The project also included landscaping of the immediate surroundings, where, amongst other things, a relaxation area with seating and exercise equipment was created. The first students attended classes in the new building in September this year, when trial operations began.
The cost of the new building on Hněvotínská Street amounted to 640 million crowns; two-thirds of this was covered by a grant from the state budget, whilst the remaining third was funded by Palacký University from its own resources.
There are currently 2,100 future doctors studying at the UP Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, whilst the programmes at the UP Faculty of Health Sciences have around a thousand students.
