In the second half of the 20th century, Chirana Stará Turá was one of the most important producers of medical equipment in Czechoslovakia. Local products became famous in 1958 when they won the Grand Prix at the Expo in Brussels. Between 1963 and 1965, the company in Stará Turá established itself as the umbrella organization for nationwide production in this field. This position was reflected in the ambitious plan to build new headquarters and laboratories. The planned building was also to serve as the entrance to the production site.
The architect designed the entrance to the production site as two structurally and operationally separate buildings. The 14-story high-rise building housed office space and the management of the manufacturing company. The lower 2-story building housed the laboratories. The two buildings were connected on the first floor by a single-story bridge, which also covered the main entrance to the complex. On the ground floor of the administrative building, behind a spacious foyer, was a showroom for Chirana products.
Both buildings are monolithic reinforced concrete structures. The spatial layout in the form of a double tract responded to the requirement for flexibility in large offices and laboratories. The suspended facade, designed by the architect in collaboration with the Prague Research Institute of Light Prefabrication, is remarkable. The facade panels set in aluminum profiles form window sections with glazing and sill sections with enamelled tempered glass. A contemporary reviewer also commented positively on their thermal insulation properties.
An important part of the overall architectural design were large glass mosaics by Moravian artist Miloš Šimurda, located on the front facade of the laboratory building and at the entrance to the office building. Concrete sculptures complemented the public space in front of the office building. The building also featured original furniture, which was used to furnish the communal areas of the building.
The entrance buildings of the Chirana factory are now a unique example of preserved industrial architecture from the second half of the last century.
Bibliography:
FRIŠTACKÝ, P.: Chirana v Starej Turej. Projekt 15, 1973, 2, s. 28-29.
KUSÝ, Martin: Architektúra na Slovensku 1945 – 1975. Bratislava, Pallas 1976. s. 203.
