Mendel's Greenhouse / CHYBIK + KRISTOF

Architects: CHYBIK + KRISTOF
Area: 160 m²
Year: 2022
Photographs: Laurian Ghinițoiu
Lead Architects: Ondrej Chybik, Michal Kristof
Civil Engineering: Babka & Suchma
Lighting Consultants: U1 Lightning
Structural Engineering: Vaclav Prikryl
Site Supervision: TEHYKON Brno
Project Management: Spolecne o.p.s.
Design Team: Ondrej Svancara, Krystof Foltyn, Ingrid Spacilova, Laura Emilija Druktenyta
Construction: STAVOS a.s., Aluprof, UNICON
City: Brno-střed
Country: Czech Republic

Designed by CHYBIK + KRISTOF, Mendel’s Greenhouse in Brno, CZ, honors Gregor Mendel’s genetics work. The glass structure, replacing a 19th-century greenhouse, serves as a public space that blends heritage with modern design. It features a steel roof inspired by Mendel’s laws and uses sustainable materials and systems. Located in Brno’s historic Stare Brno area, the greenhouse connects science, faith, and community.

CHYBIK + KRISTOF announces the completion of Mendel’s Greenhouse, an homage to scientist and abbot Gregor Mendel’s groundbreaking work in genetics. This new greenhouse engages directly with the original 19th-century greenhouse at St. Augustin Abbey in Brno, CZ, where Mendel conducted his pioneering experiments. Destroyed by a storm in the 1870s, the historical greenhouse has been reinvented by CHK as a pavilion dedicated to genetics, commemorating the 200th anniversary of Mendel’s birth.

Built against the backdrop of the centuries-old Abbey, the new structure establishes a vital connection between memory and contemporaneity, serving its community. While the exemplary and complex design highlights local history and heritage, the Greenhouse also becomes a new public space, fostering local social dialogue by combining innovation with respect for the city’s heritage.

The new Greenhouse designed by CHK continues the Abbey’s legacy as a center of science and culture, serving various purposes for its community. Featuring a complete glass structure with fully exposed side walls, the building opens entirely to the surrounding greenery, eliminating visual barriers and inviting visitors to connect with their heritage and explore the world of genetics. Primarily dedicated to the permanent exhibition of Gregor Mendel’s legacy, the Greenhouse meets the current needs of its community and hosts various cultural events such as international conferences, lectures, and exhibitions.

Drawing inspiration from archival materials and the original scheme of the building, CHK’s design preserves the heritage value of the structure while adapting it into a contemporary narrative. Following the original ground plan, the new greenhouse integrates seamlessly into the existing urban fabric, echoing the orientation, shape, and distinct roof of the original. A key aesthetic and functional feature is the reimagined supporting steel roof structure, inspired by Mendel’s three laws of inheritance. The nodes and branches of the steel framing directly reference his laws, particularly hereditary segregation. Exposed by the transparent glass roof, the structure both embodies and showcases Mendel’s significant contributions to modern science through an ultimate design solution.

Using simple, cost-efficient, and recyclable materials like steel, the greenhouse incorporates low-carbon cooling and heating systems through a concealed structure of heat pumps. This reflects CHK’s commitment to sustainable and environmentally friendly design. The concealed system of heat pumps, shading, and heating, located underground, ensures natural cooling and ventilation in the summer and heating in the winter, mirroring the regulatory properties of a traditional greenhouse. Adjustable shades and embedded blinds further enhance the building’s sustainable scheme.

Located in the heart of Brno’s historic area, Stare Brno, the greenhouse restored by CHK serves as a physical reminder of the connection between science and faith. It revitalizes the community through inclusive social dialogue, preserving the historical traces of the area.