G.J. Mendel's Legacy to Science, Culture and Humanity
On the 200th anniversary of Gregor Mendel's birth, Augustinian Abbey in Brno, Czech Republic, brought back to life Mendel´s Greenhouse. The design by CHYBIK+KRISTOF architects is deeply rooted in his work and continuing his legacy of a dialogue between science and faith is needed especially in these difficult times. Honoring this figure, stigmatized for his origins and faith by the political regimes of the past is important for reconciliation with the past and to find a sense of belonging.
National
Czechia
City of Brno, Southmoravian Region in Czech Republic,
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Yes
G.J. Mendel's Legacy to Science, Culture and Humanity, ATCZ278, co-financed by the INTERREG V-A Austria-Czech Republic Programme
No
Yes
2022-12-31
As a representative of an organization, in partnership with other organisations
Name of the organisation(s): Old Brno Abbey of the Order of St. Augustin Type of organisation: Registered church legal entity First name of representative: Juan Last name of representative: Provecho Gender: Male Nationality: Spain Function: Superior of the Abbey Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Mendlovo namesti 157/1 Town: Brno Postal code: 60300 Country: Czechia Direct Tel:+420 602 684 538 E-mail:juan@augustiniani.cz Website:https://www.opatstvibrno.cz/opatstvi
Name of the organisation(s): CHYBIK+KRISTOF ASSOCIATED ARCHITECTS s.r.o. Type of organisation: For-profit company First name of representative: Chybík Last name of representative: Ondřej Gender: Male Nationality: Czechia Function: Founding partner Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Dominikanske nam 656/2 Town: Brno Postal code: 60200 Country: Czechia Direct Tel:+420 721 281 286 E-mail:svancara@chkau.com Website:https://chybik-kristof.com
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Yes
NEB Awards was mentioned during personal visit of European Commissioner Gabriel in newly opened Mendel's Greenhouse.
On the 200th anniversary of Gregor Mendel's birth, Augustinian Abbey in Brno, Czech republic brought back to life Mendel´s greenhouse. The original greenhouse where Mendel, the father of modern genetics, conducted his pioneering experiments cultivating pea plants to explore their hereditary physical traits was almost completely swept away by a storm in the 1870s. Drawing on the site's historical legacy and following the original ground plan, CHYBIK+KRISTOF architects (CHK) have created a design reminiscent of the original building, using the preserved foundations as the basis. While the trapezoidal volume of the roof is identical to the original edifice, the reimagined supporting steel structure seeks inspiration from Mendel’s three laws of inheritance – and the drawings of his heredity system. The pitched roof, consisting of a vast outer glass surface, reflects his law of segregation and the distribution of inherited traits, and is complemented by a set of modular shades. The past is preserved and brought to the standards of the 21st century, with a sustainable concealed system of underground heat pumps providing cooling and heating. Adaptable space is designed to work for both the professionals, but also for the general public, since integrated blinds enable space to be darkened to accommodate various cultural events. Opening up the Greenhouse to the public, in line with the old Augustinian tradition of social dialogue is a bold step for the abbey. It invites people in not only to educate them in these times of disinformation but also to make this place their own on any given day, connecting the seemingly so different communities of church and science. Despite Mendel’s achievements, he and his work are sadly not widely known by the Czech general public. This project thus serves not only as a static reminder but also as a public space helping to create a sense of community and belonging with the past, sometimes hard to find in post-communist countries.
Social dialogue
Renovation
Cultural heritage
Genetics
Public space
The Augustinian Abbey project fulfils ambitious environmental and social sustainability goals. Starting with the environmental angle, architects have chosen recyclable materials and low-carbon heating. Building on the original design, the building structure relies on simple cost-efficient materials such as steel, featured in the main load bearing structure. Steel is one of the most sustainable materials, since 93% is recyclable and thus promotes its circular use for generations. Moreover, the design inspired by on Medel’s laws of inheritance makes for a rather thin steel structure, instead of typically used massive steel beams, thus further saving material. Low-carbon cooling and heating is provided by a concealed system of ground heat pumps. Adjustable shades and embedded blinds ensure natural cooling and ventilation in the summer and heating in the winter, thereby mirroring and revisiting the self-regulative properties of a greenhouse. Since it is essentially a house made of glass, one can also observe the workings of the technology thus adding a didactic function as an added value. In terms of social sustainability the Mendel’s Greenhouse is designed as an adaptable public place inviting the community in to reclaim this space. The unique roof structure and aeroponic pea pods remind both locals and visitors of Mendel's legacy and highlight the importance of his work in the city, building a sense of belonging. Since this figure was perceived as inconvenient by previous political regimes for his origin and faith, commemorating his work and legacy is an important step in reconciliation with the past. The architects showed humility in their minimalistic approach, following the original design and traditional passive ecological workings of a greenhouse. In line with social sustainability, the project aims to not only highlight local history but also bring it back to life as a new communal public space.
Key aesthetic element is the volume of the greenhouse itself, on one hand a traditional form of it as a reflection of the original greenhouse, however built based on innovative design against the backdrop of the centuries old Abbey. In this way the new greenhouse fits almost seamlessly into the urban fabric and moreover its glass walls create no barriers in the garden, where all age groups frequently meet. Crucial aesthetic, but also functional tool is the roof's supporting structure which is based on Mendel's work.The nodes and branches constituting the steel supportive framing are in direct dialogue with his laws of inheritance, in particular that of hereditary segregation. Building on this notion as well as on Mendel’s original drawings, the resulting, highly complex structure pays homage to his legacy and makes the rather traditional form of a greenhouse unique and beautiful. Laid bare by the transparency of the glass roof, the edifice both embodies and exposes his undeniable contribution to modern science. All of these elements bring strong positive emotions, since many scientists have come to Brno over the years to pay tribute to the father of genetics, but until recently they found only derelict remains of what was once his laboratory. During the opening ceremony, the Nobel prize winners' eyes filled with tears when they saw the transformed greenhouse. Locals are proud of having their heritage reinstated and given a new modern design,with aeroponic pea pods which enable engaging observation of pea growth. The place also brings cultural benefits, being open to the public and available for various cultural events, benefiting both the local and professional community. Mendel’s Greenhouse could therefore serve as an example of creating flexible space for diverse groups of people, but one that is still unique and which builds on local historical heritage.
Key point in terms of inclusion was the decision of the Augustinians to restore the traditional aspect - social dialogue in which the Mendel´s Greenhouse plays a crucial role. One of the essential objectives of the project was not only to commemorate Mendel's contribution to science, but to create a space for dialogue, to bring to focus that the Abbey was a centre of science and culture in the 19th century and that this renowned scientist was, as many others are today, a believer. Thus it also shows that science and faith do not have to be in opposition per se.The Greenhouse is meant to be a place of connection and inclusion. It is meant to be a place for diverse groups of people - international and local professionals or laymen. Even Augustinians in Brno today are a mix of different nationalities that are connected by values and organise activities for seniors or families. The project was built within the framework of the project G.J. Mendel's Legacy to Science, Culture and Humanity, ATCZ278, and was co-financed by the INTERREG V-A Austria-Czech Republic Programme, bringing the focus to the fact that Mendel was born in then Austrian-Hungarian empire and saw himself as a german-speaking Moravian questioning todays ideas of clear-cut nationalities. Following the traditional form of a greenhouse and saving the material for supporting the roof by creating lighter structure reflecting Mendel's hereditary principles made the project cost and material-efficient. The space is vast and without height differences.This project is exemplary in its endeavour to show that the current polarisation in our society is not something given but rather something that we can influence. It even questions today's growing far-right ideas about nationality and labelling of individuals based on attributes they cannot influence, since he was stigmatised by past regimes and basically erased from the textbooks. It shows us that inclusion and collaboration can be a way forward once more.
Citizens directly benefit from the project thanks to the decision of the abbey to return to their traditional value of social dialogue and their intention to create a place of inclusion and collaboration. Moreover, Mendel's Greenhouse is not here just for the professionals or locals interested in genetics and pea pods, rather it was designed to be a flexible space available for diverse professional or cultural events for everyone. Civil society has been involved in the project through not only the Abbey and city of Brno but also through an NGO based in Brno Společně (Together), which among other things, focuses also on Mendel's heritage in Brno. Besides organizing festivals, lectures, or meetups trying to popularise Mendel, they also contributed to the project and hope to frequently use this new space for various community events. Their involvement in promoting Mendel's legacy in the Czech Republic, where Mendel is sadly not as well known by the general public as he deserves, directly contributed to the growing interest of the public to have a place to commemorate his legacy. One could also claim that this interest also made it possible for politicians to support the project financially. Given the involvement of various groups like Spolecne, or Masaryks university the new Mendel's Greenhouse is set on the path of slowly turning into the new cultural heart of the community. Augustinians make up an active part of the community, working with for example seniors through the project Senior point. The greenhouse also works as a pedagogical tool for laymen or children from nearby schools, since one can easily just point to the ceiling to explain Mendel's hereditary principles. Continuing his legacy of a dialogue between science and faith is needed in times of polarization. Commemorating this figure by the past regimes stigmatized either for his origin or faith is an important step in reconciling with the past and finding a sense of belonging.
Stakeholders involved in the project were the Augustinian Abbey in Brno, City of Brno, Southmoravian region, Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic, Universität Wien and BOKU in Austria, and non-profit organization Společně (Together) in Brno.
Without their engagement in the implementation, Mendel's Greenhouse most likely would not have been resurrected. Augustinian Abbey, Masaryk university and independent non-profit organization Společně (Together) has been active for years in popularising Mendel's legacy organizing lectures, workshops, festivals and thus they made way for public support of implementing this project. Moreover, Masaryk university together with Universität Wien, Austria are working on creating a professional framework of collaboration in continuing Mendel's work in genetics and the new Greenhouse will also be a place of research. Without local and professional support the project might not have been realized since the budget during the times of pandemic crisis was tight, but the engagement of all these various stakeholders made it clear for the abbey as well as the city of Brno and Southmoravian region that this project is worth investing in. The added value of the collaboration of all of these actors was that the Mendel’s greenhouse was created as an inclusive public place available for everyone, where science and faith comes together.
Mendel´s Greenhouse is a project of exemplary interdisciplinary nature since it combines structural engineering, genetics, and architecture, and symbolically also science and faith. To make the project site-specific and rooted in the work of Gregor Mendel, father of genetics, the architects chose to innovate the otherwise traditional volume of the greenhouse by designing a unique load-bearing structure for the roof that would reflect his legacy. This was a creative but also rather difficult task for a structural engineer. But now we can see that the nodes and branches constituting the steel supportive framing are in direct dialogue with his laws of inheritance, in particular that of hereditary segregation. Building on this notion as well as Mendel’s original drawings, the resulting, highly complex structure pays homage to his legacy. Laid bare by the transparency of the glass roof, the edifice both embodies and exposes his undeniable contribution to modern science. The added value of this design was that it made the greenhouse unique and deeply anchored both in genetics and its local history, aiding the feeling of belonging for the local citizens. Moreover, Mendel's greenhouse is an adaptable space allowing for various cultural events, but it is intended to also work for Masaryk university in Brno, following Mendel research in genetics. We can also find the pea plants he worked with in aeroponic pods where one can still observe the development of peas. Mendel, the father of genetics, was a monk and later an abbot, and the Abbey where the greenhouse was situated used to be an important scientific hub in the country. This project is built in the spirit of social dialogue and reminds us that sciences and faith do not have to be opposites and can come together and work. In this symbolic way also science and faith as such are reflected in Mendel's Greenhouse making way for a more open and inclusive community.
Even though Mendel appears in biology textbooks alongside Darwin around the world, this groundbreaking scientist whose legacy makes the basis of genetic knowledge is not so well known in Brno, where he worked combining genetics and maths and wrote his revolutionary paper on hereditary traits. But why is Mendel less known in Brno than in the rest of the world? He was labeled by the past regimes as inconvenient either for his origin or faith, thus he or his achievements were not to be mentioned. The Abbey, City of Brno, Masaryk university, and non-profit organization Společně (Together) came together in this project to not only commemorate his legacy but to continue it. Architects CHK designed a space that builds on the original design of the Greenhouse where he worked and even found a way for the structure itself to be rooted in his laws of inheritance. Creating a space open for anyone to make their own is an important step for us to reconcile with our past and be able to move on. It seems like in Central Europe right now our favorite way of dealing with the past is to erase, forget, demolish what we can, and then finally rootless move on - thus the well-known Brain drain to Western Europe. But the sense of belonging that we need for our well-being depends on our ability to connect to our surroundings, to our community, and traditions. Mendel's Greenhouse unlike some typical static monument, invites people into new public space, invites to discuss, connects otherwise polarised communities of church, science, locals and tourists, professionals and laymen, and creates an important place for people of Brno and Czech Republic reminding them of revolutionary achievement of someone just like them - who came from the same place as them and made history.
Already the brief from the brothers of St Augustinians was innovative - to create a space, a pavilion of genetics - that would be flexible and make space for social dialogue and inclusion. Mendel´s Greenhouse is based on the original greenhouse, where Mendel conducted his famous genetic experiments, however, built based on innovative design. Innovative is also the roof's load-bearing structure since instead of using traditional steel beams, architects chose to design a new structure that would not only work but would also be rooted in Mendel's work and reflect it making it unique, which was not an easy task for a structural engineer. The nodes and branches constituting the steel supportive framing are in direct dialogue with his laws of inheritance, in particular, that of hereditary segregation. Architects were building on Mendel’s original drawings resulting in a highly complex structure paying homage to his legacy. The need to innovate and thus include and collaborate was also at the birth of the project. One nowadays almost never hears of churches or monasteries trying to be active and have a positive influence in post-communist cities. But the brothers of the order of St Augustine decided to return to their tradition of social dialogue, open their Abbey to the public. They could have just erected a statue to commemorate one of their renowned brothers, but instead, they chose to create a space for social dialogue available for everyone and in that way innovate their Order and the Abbey.
Key aspects of the methodology were workshops and extended dialogues both with the brothers of the Order of the Augustinians, supported by the NGO Spolecne (together), and representatives of the cultural heritage preservation committee. The design process and later approval by the cultural heritage preservation committee went relatively smoothly thanks to this process. In terms of approach, CHK fully welcomed the project brief of the Augustianians to create a space reflecting the nature of their order - openness, inclusive, flat hierarchy. Architects also chose to respect and preserve most of the original design of the Greenhouse that was to a large extent destroyed in the 1870s but decided to innovate it and find a way to root it in Mendel's legacy. This part of the process was based on drawing on the history, scientific legacy, and archival materials of the site. By following the original ground plan, CHK created a design reminiscent of the original building. Integrated in the structure, the preserved foundations are at the basis of the architects’ reinterpretation – echoing the orientation, shape, and distinct roof of the greenhouse. While the trapezoidal volume is identical to the original edifice, the reimagined supporting steel structure seeks inspiration from Mendel’s three laws of inheritance – and the drawings of his resulting heredity system. Likewise, the pitched roof, consisting of a vast outer glass surface, reflects his law of segregation and the distribution of inherited traits and is complemented by a set of modular shades. The approach of the architects could be summed up as humble and respectful to the cultural heritage of the site, but also innovative in terms of the design.
Mendel's Greenhouse aims to be an example of a project that found the balance between preserving and saving parts of our history and at the same time updating and innovating the design to fulfil our current needs and to make the best of the technology available to us today. Architects followed the original foundations and form of the original greenhouse but chose to innovate with the rood supporting structure that with light nodes reflects Mendel's legacy. Up to today's standard is also the sustainable solution hidden in the ground underneath and adjustable blinds that allow the place to be darkened completely and thus making it a space for a range of activities and events. The approach could be also replicated - the positive and welcoming attitude of the brothers of St Augustus who chose to honour key aspects of their Order - social dialogue and recreate a greenhouse open to the public. Commemorating Gregor Mendel's legacy, someone labelled as inconvenient by the past regimes based on his origins and faith is an important step for the locals to reconcile with their past and find a sense of belonging. This project could also be a learning opportunity for other post-socialist cities still trying to find a way to deal with their past.
Mendel´s Greenhouse could become an inspirational local solution to the global challenge of polarisation and disinformation. This project could also be a physical example of how diversity, dialog, and open mind brought us our biggest achievements as species and how it is truly the way forward. To honour their brother for the 200th anniversary of his birth the monks of the St Augustinians decided to create a space for social dialogue - the key attribute of their order. They created a space of collaboration - in collaboration with many diverse actors- for anyone to use, but still with a special roof-bearing structure rooted in Mendel's work and the airpods with pea plants that everyone can observe and study. It also teaches us that boundaries can always be overcome. Mendel, as a brother of the order, could not have children. But he still managed to find a way to pass on his genes. We once again find ourselves in a world we thought was long gone - of war in Europe, closed national borders, and building walls. In the world of division - us vs them. Mendel shows us that such an approach is debilitating and counter-productive. He is very closely connected to Brno but he was born in the Austria-Hungarian empire and saw himself as German-speaking Moravian. And after all, why is he way more known to the general public outside of the Czech republic? Because of the dynamic 20th century in Central Europe, there was always some inconvenient group that was better not mentioned - during the first Czechoslovak republic he didn't get the recognition he deserved because of his origin, and later during the totalitarian regime because of his faith. Still today the countries of Central Europe haven't really managed to reconcile with their complicated past. Projects like Mendel´s Greenhouse are part of this lengthy process to commemorate the past and at the same time thanks to a dialogue this project is based on being able to move forward with a new sense of belonging.
