DRIVE-IN PHARMACY

The idea for designing and building a Drive-In Pharmacy stemmed from the initiative of an investor who has been in this business for many years. Most of the existing pharmacies in Osijek are located in pedestrian zones or areas you can hardly access without parking your car far away. The problem becomes even worse when you are in a hurry or the weather is bad, and after a 30-minute search for a parking space, you still have to walk to the pharmacy.
Therefore, the investor came up with the idea to design a 24/7 Drive-In Pharmacy, which can be accessed by pedestrians on one side, and by cars on the other. It is a well-known purchasing process of a famous fast-food restaurant chain.
The pharmacy is located at a street corner, and can be accessed from three sides, which makes it exceptionally accessible and visually distinctive. The complex consists of two buildings connected by a glass skyway, enabling simple circular movement around the buildings and a functional interior. Investor offers all the services a patient may need at one place. Pharmacy and counselling are located on the ground floor. Waiting rooms and four general practitioner’s offices are located on the first floor, and the company’s administration offices and a conference room, where different lectures and seminars are held, are located on the second floor.
Since the ground floor pharmacy has three counters, two for walk-in customers and one drive-in counter, it was particularly challenging to ensure that the services of counselling, prescribing and dispensing medication are provided fast and with consistently high quality. Thus, for the first time in Croatia, a robot, protected in its 2m x 7m x 3m casing, is used as an automated closed medication storage and dispenser. The robot automatically labels, stocks and organizes medication, keeps the space clean, regulates temperature and humidity, and selects and dispenses medication to every counter.
At the counter, a pharmacist presents the offer and medications to the customer on a large touch screen, and activates the robot by clicking on the selected medication. The robot then finds the medication inside its case and sends it to the counter within 10 seconds using an air pressure dispenser. Meanwhile, the pharmacist pays attention to customers, talks to them and gives them advice.
Architectonic design of white buildings combined with perforated aluminium cladding is a visual contribution to contemporary, clean and comfortable spaces, as well as a protection against the sun.
At night, the light from the building passes through the cladding, creating an interesting game of glittering lights on the facade.