Major Transformation Ahead for Psychiatric Care at FN Olomouc: A Modern Complex with a Therapeutic Garden and New Children’s Ward

New U2 Building: Increased Capacity and Safer Operations

In the first stage, a four‑storey U2 pavilion will be built, featuring a uniform light façade and a prominent glazed section that will connect the new and existing buildings, allowing barrier‑free movement between all floors. The ground floor will house a gym for movement therapy as well as facilities for staff and students.

The upper floors will be dedicated to inpatient wards. The second floor will accommodate an acute ward with a capacity of up to 28 beds, complemented by a single acute room and a special padded room. A separate entrance will allow safe and discreet admission of patients directly from emergency service vehicles. The third floor will contain a closed ward with 30 beds, while the fourth floor will offer an open ward with the same capacity and two sleep‑study beds. The open‑unit design will give patients greater freedom of movement and direct access to the garden, with some therapeutic rooms located outside the ward itself to help create a more natural treatment environment.

New Children’s Ward and Modernisation of the Existing U1 Building

The second phase of the project will involve a complete reconstruction of the U1 building. This space will house a new inpatient children’s ward with a capacity of up to 30 beds, including single rooms equipped for enhanced care tailored to children with specific needs. The children’s unit will have its own dedicated entrance, fully separated from the adult section, and will also be designed to support school education for hospitalised children.

Outpatient services will remain primarily concentrated on the first floor of the U1 building. This area will include several specialised clinics, such as an acute outpatient clinic, a clinic for biological treatment, as well as sexology, addictology, and psychological outpatient services.

A Therapeutic Garden as a Natural Part of Treatment

A significant benefit of the project is the extensive garden located on the southern side of the site. The slope opposite the inpatient rooms will be planted with trees and ornamental greenery and complemented by pathways that will offer patients calming views as well as safe outdoor movement. Patients from each ward will have direct access to the garden according to the regime of their unit. The outdoor spaces will thus become a natural part of the therapeutic process.

Architecture That Unifies the Entire Complex

The architectural design builds on the original panel‑constructed building as well as the sloping terrain. The existing structure will gain a calmer, more unified appearance thanks to a new light façade and materials coordinated with the new annex. The glazed connecting section between the two buildings will bring more natural daylight into the interior and improve orientation within the space. Simple lines, attention to detail, and the integration of greenery will ensure that the entire complex feels calm, clear, and cohesive.

“The Psychiatric Clinic is a project with not only a construction dimension but also a significant social one. Our aim is to create an environment that is safe, clear, and dignified for patients, while also being functional for medical staff. The construction is taking place during full hospital operation, which is extremely demanding from an organizational standpoint. The specific requirements of psychiatric care also place high demands on layout solutions, safety features, and material design within the interiors. This is why we place great emphasis on detail and quality of execution,” says Ing. Dominik Procházka, project manager at GEMO a.s.

The project also includes the demolition of the unused WN building, which will free up space for the new annex. At the same time, access routes will be modified in relation to the historic entrance to the Tafelberg fort to ensure that access from the hospital grounds remains preserved. Once completed in 2028, the Psychiatric Clinic at FN Olomouc will offer modern, expanded facilities that meet contemporary standards of care — an environment that is safe, dignified, and supportive of the treatment process.

Key Project Parameters:
Investor: University Hospital Olomouc
Designer: LT PROJEKT a.s., Brno
Contractor: Consortium of GEMO a.s. and OHLA ŽS, a.s.
Construction period: 2026–2028