A remarkable architectural transformation has taken place in the White Carpathians of the Czech Republic, where the Janošík company has unveiled its new headquarters and showroom designed by architect Jakub Janošík. The project, called "Spoj" (The Link), represents a stunning conversion of a 1950s cooperative grain warehouse into a modern workspace that seamlessly connects architecture with the surrounding landscape. Located in Valašské Příkazy, the 2,100-square-meter building showcases the company's expertise in producing windows and doors for contemporary architecture.

The architectural philosophy behind the project centers on the fundamental concept of quality windows and their ability to shape space and atmosphere through connection with the natural environment. What was once a closed, barrier-like structure has been completely reimagined as an open, welcoming space that bridges the building, meadow, and distant mountain views. Architect Jakub Janošík, who leads the design and artistic direction of his family company, explained his vision: "We wanted to create a pleasant space for work. Also, a place where we can present our products—windows, doors, sliding walls—where people can not only see them but also experience them. The surrounding nature and hills have probably influenced our perception of architecture in close relation to the landscape."

The building serves as both a functional workspace and an innovative product showcase, featuring an extensive variety of window and door solutions that demonstrate the company's technical capabilities and design philosophy. The structure incorporates everything from sliding large-format glass walls to smaller, specialized windows crafted from different materials and featuring unique details. Among the most impressive installations are sliding windows that float on an electromagnetic field, allowing even unusually large sizes to be moved effortlessly, pivot doors, and a revolutionary seating window where the glass retracts to provide direct access to the garden. The building also features windows levitating in the middle of glass panes, and doors and windows clad in premium materials such as brass and corten steel.

The architectural design masterfully intertwines two distinct volumes: the original hall with its traditional gabled form and a new concrete "embrace" that opens the building to the landscape. This innovative approach draws the meadow right up to the building, creating a seamless transition where visitors can step directly onto the meadow from offices located five meters above ground. Originally, the hall was completely separated from the surrounding meadow by a road and fence, enclosed by walls that blocked any connection to nature. The transformation has reduced the original hall to its most essential lines, creating a compelling dialogue between the two architectural volumes.

From three sides, the building presents itself as a monument, while toward the landscape, it becomes softened and integrated into the terrain, appearing as a light horizontal line. The renovation emphasized the existing steel structure by insulating the hall from the outside and cladding it in black-painted timber. Four carefully positioned cut-outs were carved into this wooden volume, with a single large window placed on each gable end. The largest window, measuring an impressive 9 by 3.2 meters, serves as the main façade element, revealing the interior activities and acting as a clear beacon for visitors. On the opposite side, the smallest picturesque window creates an intimate contrast to the grand main entrance.

Sustainability played a crucial role in the project's development, with the design team choosing renovation over demolition and new construction to reuse the existing structure. The building's energy efficiency was significantly improved through comprehensive insulation and strategic window replacement, dramatically reducing energy demands. The structure takes advantage of natural heating from southern sun exposure during winter months, while carefully designed roof overhangs and integrated loggias provide essential shading during summer, eliminating the need for air conditioning. For extremely hot days, an underfloor cooling system provides additional comfort. Solar panels have been installed flush with the roof surface, blending seamlessly with the black volume of the building to maintain its unobtrusive presence in the natural landscape.

The material and color selections were carefully chosen to embody restraint and allow the forces of nature to resonate throughout the interior while merging harmoniously with the exterior landscape. The façade features black-painted larch that proudly displays the natural wood grain, while concrete elements are tinted in sandstone shades and poured in layers to create a geological rather than technical appearance. The interior maintains a gallery-like white palette that serves as a canvas for images of the surrounding landscape, enriched with bleached spruce, natural oak, dark grey concrete, and linen finishes that echo traditional Wallachian architectural elements.

The interior space design reflects the building's core philosophy of connection and openness, shaped by recessed loggias, an open roof structure, and a central corridor that crosses the entire building. Private offices and meeting rooms are strategically placed along the sides, properly enclosed to ensure undisturbed work environments, while the central area remains completely open like a communal square. This central space connects seamlessly to the garden and meadow through an expansive sliding glass wall. Most furnishings were custom-made specifically for the building, with tables, shelves, and kitchen elements crafted in the company's own workshop, complemented by locally produced metal details and seating.

Three artistic interventions extend the relationship between building and landscape into the cultural realm. Renowned designer Maxim Velčovský created "Hills," an extraordinary object that serves as both sculpture and staircase, depicting the silhouettes of the surrounding White Carpathians using forty cubic meters of solid pine. Artist Lukáš Musil contributed "Through Landscape," a cycle of fifteen paintings tailored in size, mood, and technique to animate the building's spaces. DECHEM Studio designed "Holt," a collection of pendant lights, lamps, and vases that translate the raw structure of materials into vivid glass forms, while also creating unique textured glass for office doors that transmits light while preserving privacy. The surrounding garden continues the natural landscape with regional plantings including oaks, firs, birches, and linden trees, complemented by an orchard of apple, plum, and cherry trees.