Wooden House 2008 – results of the architectural competition announced

Winning design in the family house category

Brno – During the International Building Fair IBF, a ceremony was held to present awards to the winners of the Wooden House 2008 competition. The competition attracted 180 authors with 79 submitted works. A total of 13 wooden house designs were awarded in the Family House category, 3 designs in the Apartment House category, and prizes amounting to 1.2 million crowns were distributed. The winners in the Family House category were the design by authors Josef Chybík and Ondřej Chybík.

“This year, 63 projects entered the competition for the best family wooden house designs, while 16 designs competed in the Apartment House category. The jury, along with invited experts, agreed that the artistic and technical quality of the submitted works exceeded the level reached in the first year by 100%. This is good news for all investors considering the construction of modern wooden buildings. There are already numerous teams qualified to handle not only wooden construction but also its low-energy solutions. Especially the structural details were designed in a highly professional manner,” said the chairman of the jury, Ing. arch. Josef Smola from the Czech Chamber of Architects.
The competition was open to a wide range of applicants: architects, civil engineers, students, and all others experienced in designing wooden constructions. A novelty was the opening of the competition to designs from countries within the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation. This offer mostly attracted architects from Slovakia. The goal of the competition was to select the best wooden house designs based on architectural, ecological, and other criteria set in the competition rules.
The competition was announced in two categories: the design of a low-energy "wooden" family house and the design of a low-energy "wooden" apartment building. In both categories, it was about a generally usable project situated on an ideal plot of land. One cannot fail to notice that a significant portion of the awarded works was created by students or graduates of the Brno Faculty of Architecture, which has been dedicated to teaching this area of architecture for years.
When comparing both categories, the jury stated that the designs for family houses were significantly better accomplished in general than those for apartment buildings. In a way, this is understandable given our tradition. Wooden apartment houses represent considerably more demanding tasks and, in practice, are less frequently undertaken by architects. For the Czech Republic to stand alongside developed European countries where a significant amount of residential, educational, or sports buildings are constructed from wood, it will be essential to provide more support for education in this area.
“People often ask if we have enough wood for building wooden houses. An average family house consumes about 65 m³ of wood material in the form of logs. In the forests of the Czech Republic, 0.6 m³ of wood material grows every second. This means that every 108 seconds, our forests produce enough wood for one family house. The wood needed to build 1000 family houses grows in the forests in just 30 hours! If we wanted to increase the proportion of wood-based houses in total construction to 20%, the necessary wood would grow in our forests in less than a week. And if we wanted to build all family houses from wood, the forests would provide the wood in one month,” said Ing. Jiří Pohloudek, vice-chairman of the board of the Wood for Life Foundation.
The Wooden House 2008 competition was announced by the Wood for Life Foundation in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic and the Czech Chamber of Architects. The main goal of the competition is to promote the creation of modern wooden constructions in the Czech Republic; further, the creation of a database of quality low-energy house projects and their subsequent offering to the public, including increasing awareness among builders and investors about the good properties and benefits of wooden constructions. The event was supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Regional Development of the Czech Republic, the Association of Regions of the Czech Republic, and others.
“The Wooden House 2008 competition is one of the means to effectively address not only participating architects but also the general public and spark their interest in the practical use of wood. Therefore, we are pleased that our company, Lesy ČR, has once again become the main partner of the competition,” said Ing. Jiří Novák, the general director.
A new feature of this year's competition is public internet voting (poll) for the most beautiful competition design. The competition designs are published on the website www.drevenydum.org and the public can vote for individual designs until May 25. The winner of the public voting will be announced at a three-day event titled “Wood and Ecology in Human Life”, which will be held from May 30 to June 1 in Dubňany near Hodonín. The most beautiful design will receive an award from the Association of Suppliers of Prefabricated Houses.

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> All about the competition can be found at www.drevenydum.org
> Results of the Wooden House 2008 competition
> Winning design from the Wooden House 2008 competition

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Evaluation of Winning Designs

1st Prize – Family House category - Ondřej Chybík, Josef Chybík
Jury Evaluation
Excellent, convincing, architecturally brilliant, well-presented design integrating all the assumptions of a quality low-energy family house with a parking space embedded below ground level under the house. It respects regional morphology. The house is situated along the axis of the designated plot oriented along its longer axis in the direction of SJ. The simple compact mass covered with a gabled roof demonstrates knowledge and an informed approach to the issues of energy-efficient buildings. It features a clear rational layout with levels in several stories with interesting sightlines, which the jury sees as a modern reference to the "Raumplan" of architect Adolf Loos. Well-designed details, (with a single reservation regarding the detail at the eaves of the gabled roof, which would certainly undergo substantial changes with further development). The house would be realized at a higher price level due to the layout in several levels. However, it could become an attractive, energy-efficient housing option for well-situated clients in line with European trends. From the perspective of the experts, the design convincingly meets the limits set for low-energy houses.

2nd Prize – Family House category - Martin Příhoda, Stanislav Kučera, Dagmar Donaťáková
Jury Evaluation
A comprehensive approach and convincing presentation of the author for the low-energy wooden house design. An attractive elevated mass of architecturally remarkable, simple house with a gabled roof without eaves. The chosen concept demonstrates the use of all principles of low-energy houses, albeit on a not optimal plot chosen by the author. The house is situated at the north-west boundary of the plot oriented along its longer axis in the direction of ZV. A clean and clear layout, perhaps with a debatable element of an inserted cross staircase. It is a pity that the attic space has not been utilized for residential purposes. The structure of the external shell is made of laminated wood beams. It stands out with well-crafted details. Only the composition of the roof may seem problematic. The design presented by the author has all the prerequisites of an affordable low-energy house, which has passed the assessment of experts in terms of building physics with flying colors.

3rd Prize - Family House category - Petr Kasl, Michal Fischer
Jury Evaluation
The family house is situated at the north-west boundary of the designated plot oriented along its longer axis in the direction of SJ. A simple, architecturally clean “wooden box” with a separate parking area. A clearly designed economical layout for a wooden family house suitable for a young family of four with regard to cardinal directions and positioning on the plot. The only debatable point is the bathroom entrance from the vestibule. The southern facade facing the garden is appropriately shaded by roof overhangs in accordance with the elected architectural concept. The details are well thought out, except for the inappropriate location of the windows in the plane of the facade, which leads to thermal bridges. The design of a ventilated batten facade and the problematic closing of pivoting parts in a relatively small house could lead to increased investment costs. The quality comprehensive solution attests to the achievement of a low-energy standard.

3rd Prize - Apartment House category – Štěpán Děnge, Jakub Děnge, Jana Stopková
Jury Evaluation
The submitted competition entries in the "Low-energy Apartment House" category demonstrated by their parameters that designing a wooden apartment house is among the very demanding tasks. The jury was partially attracted by this design of a “house on a meadow,” which addresses the apartment building as a colorful line composed of individual stairwell sections, each containing six apartments, which can follow the terrain contours and their bends. The mass of the house is covered with a low gabled roof and enlivened by an irregular rhythm of windows and recessed loggias on the southern facade. Parking is in the basement in open shelters, supplemented by storage spaces for individual apartments. The author utilizes different terrain levels. The apartments have a simple, clear, thermally zoned standard layout. It is a pity that the attic space is not also utilized for residential purposes. In terms of energy consumption, the recessed loggias may pose a problem as they enlarge the cooled envelope of the building and complicate the construction. The chosen structural solution and the composition of the load-bearing elements deteriorate the thermal-technical properties of the house. Investment costs would be reasonable. It represents a compact, relatively economical solution.

3rd Prize – Apartment House category - Jiří Prokeš, Jiří Mach
Jury Evaluation
A simple, sober, compact three-story mass of a gallery house with a flat roof impressed the jury in the low-energy apartment house category. The concrete lower structure used for open car parking and storage spaces for apartments in combination with the upper wooden structure of six apartments is a well-chosen model for this typological type. The absence of a vestibule as a thermal filter is problematic. From the perspective of usability, the accessibility of the one toilet only through the parents' bedroom in the smaller apartments also appears debatable. The solutions of some details concerning thermal bridges and required layers of thermal insulation are inconsistent. Nevertheless, the overall envelope parameters meet the low-energy standard securely and testify to the attainability of the low-energy standard.

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Words from the Minister of Agriculture

Dear supporters of modern architecture,
The current trend in construction and the arrival of new technologies increasingly give space to wooden-based building technologies. This is undoubtedly good, as the advancement of every society is, among other things, related to its relationship and ability to utilize natural wealth and resources. Just two decades ago, raw wood in our countries had the stamp of a strategic export raw material that brought into the state treasury much-valued foreign currency, and its domestic utilization and processing were significantly suppressed in the brilliance of hard currency and prioritizing other materials. Therefore, I am glad that wood is regaining its rightful position in the limelight.
Wood is a traditional, proven, malleable, and durable material that can be used in a very wide range of human needs. It can be a building element, beautiful furniture, practical tools and implements, a pleasant source of heat, or even a musical instrument. Compared to other materials, the investment costs for its acquisition and processing are minimal.
In short, wood is a resource for the third millennium, a renewable resource that meets all environmental principles and is ecologically harmless. The Czech Republic stands at the forefront in Europe regarding indicators such as the proportion of forested land, timber stocks in forests, annual growth per hectare of forest. Care for the forests has been at a very high level for a long time, and we have a quality and technically advanced logging and processing industry. However, when it comes to annual wood consumption per person, we are by no means among the European leaders.
The architectural-construction competition Wooden House 2008 can significantly contribute to promoting this building material. And I would wholeheartedly support any initiative aimed at promoting wood and raising interest in its practical use, not only among architects but also among the general public, not only on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic but also as an individual.

Words from the Chairman of the Jury

Ladies and gentlemen, when I evaluated the first pilot year of the competition at the same place two years ago, I was firmly convinced that we were establishing a tradition of a new architectural competition in the Czech Republic. The second year has exceeded expectations in this regard. So what was it like?
A novelty was the opening of the competition to designs from countries in the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation. This offer was most appealing to colleagues from Slovakia.
Czech construction is currently experiencing a fortunate period of prosperity. All the more so, it is necessary to appreciate that many students and architects took the time and preferred the development of a competition proposal with uncertain results over the guarantee of paid work for a specific client. A total of 180 authors participated in the competition with 79 submitted works. This confirms its leading position among domestic architectural competitions. It is a pity that about a third of the works had to be disqualified for non-compliance with the competition conditions.
The jury, together with invited experts, agreed that the artistic and technical quality of the submitted works exceeded the level achieved in the pilot year by 100%. This is good news for all investors considering the construction of modern wooden buildings. There are already numerous teams qualified to deal with not only wooden construction but also its low-energy solutions. Especially, structural details were designed in a highly professional manner.
When comparing both categories, it must be stated that the designs for family houses were again significantly better handled than those for apartment houses. In a way, this is understandable given our tradition. Wooden apartment houses represent considerably more demanding tasks and are practically less frequently undertaken by architects. For this reason, it is essential to focus on this issue going forward. This will support the Czech Republic's chances of joining developed European countries where a significant amount of residential, educational, or sports buildings are indeed constructed from wood. Not to mention the undeniable advantages of wooden constructions when designing buildings according to low-energy or passive standards.
In reading the names of the authors, it is impossible not to notice that most of the awarded or honored works are by students or graduates of the Brno Faculty of Architecture. This is not by chance but a targeted contribution by several colleagues who have promoted this direction of teaching at the VUT Brno for years. For this, they deserve our gratitude. I believe that, without exaggeration, we will soon be talking about the "Brno School".
However, this is not just a competition. Three expert seminars on modern, low-energy wooden constructions were organized as part of the accompanying program. Contestants had recommended professional literature and interpretations of the standard provisions as a basis for their designs. These events will continue in conjunction with the subsequent touring exhibition of competition works in various regions of our country.
An important motivation for future years will also be the fulfillment of a promise by a specific construction company, which offered that it would realize one of this year's winning works.
Glory to the winners of the architectural competition “Wooden House 2008”. Long live “Wooden House 2010”.

Words from the Chairman of the Board of the Foundation Wood for Life

Wooden Houses – A Path to Energy Savings

The Foundation Wood for Life aims to restore the relationship of society to wood. Therefore, we are pleased that the first year of the Wooden House competition showed unexpected vitality and we can participate in the organization of the second year and present its results to the public in the form of this catalog.
The purpose of the competition is to support efforts to utilize wood in Czech construction. Increasing the interest of architects and designers in wood should be one of the ways leading to the fulfillment of this goal. Buildings based on wooden structures meet all ecological and energy criteria set by European strategies. Reducing the energy burden on households is fully in line with the development of buildings with a higher proportion of wood.
In the EU today, the construction and operation of buildings consume 40% of the total energy produced, emit 30% of all CO2 production into the atmosphere, and contribute 40% to the total heap of all European waste. These numbers show that the approach to used building technologies and construction practices, especially regarding resource extraction and the regulation of harmful emissions and waste, needs to change. In terms of energy consumption, households today rank alongside industry, transport, and administrative buildings as the fourth most significant area.
Energy savings are a condition for the safety of energy supply, competitiveness, and the improvement of the environment. Energy savings in buildings are a priority of the European strategy for sustainable competitiveness and secure energy. The goal is to reduce energy consumption by 20% by 2020. The EU action plan for energy efficiency anticipates energy savings of up to 27% in the residential sector and 30% in public administration buildings.

Utilization of Wood in Construction

Interestingly, the annual wood production per capita in the Czech Republic and the USA is roughly the same. However, in the USA, wooden constructions completely dominate residential construction, whereas, in the Czech Republic, they account for about 4%. For instance, in Germany, it is 7% (with Bavaria at 70%), in Austria 10%, Switzerland 10%, in Great Britain – England and Wales 15%, in Scotland 50% (notably, the British Isles have small local sources of wood), in Finland, Norway, and Denmark over 60%, in the USA 65%, and in Canada even 80%.
In recent years, the construction sector working with wood has begun to develop dynamically in our country as well. This is best demonstrated by the results of 2007, when more than 1500 wooden family houses were built in the Czech Republic, while three years ago, there weren't even 200 houses.
Through the massive construction of quality, architecturally imaginative houses based on wood, we could quickly find ourselves among the countries determining global construction trends. The future belongs to energy-saving building technologies, after all. Wood is the right choice not only because it is a unique renewable resource but also because it offers a whole range of outstanding construction-technical properties – optimal thermal insulation, high strength, low weight, slender walls, short construction times, and flexible arrangement possibilities. Currently, there are indeed many objective reasons for wood to be used more in construction. These especially include:
The use of wood helps to conserve remaining extractable resources for the future.

• Progressive technologies for sorting and processing wood, creating connections of wooden elements, and materials based on wood, as well as methods for designing wooden structures are constantly being developed.
• Wood can collaborate with steel and concrete to create economical mixed constructions.
• Although wood is inflammable and combustible, its behavior in fire is predictable. Larger wooden cross-sections have high fire resistance.
• Little energy is generally required for the production of wood and materials based on wood.
• Wood is recyclable or can be used as a renewable energy source.

Forests in Europe are increasing

In the past fifteen years, the area of forested land in Europe has grown by 13 million hectares. Today it thus accounts for more than a billion hectares. Forests now cover 44 percent of the area of Europe. A quarter of the total forested area of the globe is found in Europe. According to UN data, Europe has about 112 billion m³ of wood, with an annual increase of approximately 350 million m³.

Do we have enough wood?

Among European states, the Czech Republic ranks 12th in forest cover, 2nd in wood stock per hectare (332.7 m³), and 6th in annual growth per hectare. Average annual increments of wood are around 20 million m³, and logging ranges from 16 to 17.5 million m³. By comparing logging and increment, we find that the increment potential has been utilized in the Czech Republic in recent years by about 75%.
The total wood stocks in our forests have increased by more than 100 million m³ over the past 16 years (in 1990, they were 564 million m³, and in 2006, they were 667.8 million m³). This means that every year, wood stocks increase on average by 6.7 million m³. With annual logging between 16 and 18 million m³, our forests have “extra” growth equivalent to six annual loggings in 15 years, which means that in 2.5 years, one extra yearly logging grows that we do not utilize. This demonstrates the enormous production potential of forests in the Czech Republic.
An average family house consumes about 65 m³ of wood material in the form of logs. In the forests of the Czech Republic, 0.6 m³ of wood material grows every second. This means that every 108 seconds, our forests produce enough wood for one family house. The wood needed to build 1000 family houses grows in the forests in just 30 hours! If we wanted to increase the proportion of wood-based houses in total construction to 20%, the wood necessary for that would grow in our forests in less than a week. And if we wanted to build all family houses from wood, the forests would provide the wood in one month.