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The extension of Eduard Beneš School in Čakovice - wood in the construction and in the classrooms
Publisher
Pavlína Drbálková
10.05.2012 08:10
Pavlína Drbálková
10.05.2012 08:10
What development did your proposal go through before it took the form in which we can already see it in Čakovice?
“First, we developed two variants of the study, which we presented to the city council and also the public. The first variant preserved the architectural expression of the building – a hipped roof, but it only included two classrooms without facilities for teachers. This variant presented the preservation of the existing appearance of the building but with worse usability. The classrooms would not meet the regulation requirement for a 3 m clear height – it would be necessary to negotiate an exemption with hygiene authorities. In the second variant – the winning one – we altered the architectural expression of the building, raising the roof to create two fully functional classrooms with a clear height of 3 m, teacher’s offices, and space for placing telecommunications equipment.”
How did you manage to convince the founders to use solid laminated timber panels?
“Thanks to the geometry of the roof, the NOVATOP system became the ideal solution. We needed to fit the structure under the eaves of the adjacent roof, and no other structure allowed that. For example, we worked with nailed trusses, which seemed to us an interesting option in terms of cost and time, but due to the requirements for room heights and eave restrictions, there was not enough space for them. Also, the main eave would not be as delicate if we used trusses. At the same time, the NOVATOP roof panels, with an internal ribbed structure, handled the small height with large spans and large openings of 750 mm in diameter for light tubes. A key criterion was also the low weight of the entire wooden structure, which minimizes the load on the original building. Last but not least was the creation of a slim eave structure to avoid creating a thermal bridge. Another very important argument was the speed of construction, as the original intention was to complete it during the summer holidays. As an added benefit of this choice, the option to use visible wood became apparent – all the ceiling structures inside are wooden, and the wood is also on the central load-bearing wall towards the classrooms. This ensures a pleasant working environment that is cozy and modern.”
Did you face challenges regarding fire safety?
“We consult fire safety concept solutions with specialists already in the study phase. Therefore, well in advance, we know what we can afford and when we need to compromise on requirements. We always come up with bold ideas and look for solutions on how to implement them – for instance, in this project, we secured wooden visible structures directly in the classrooms. The fire resistance of the materials and construction assemblies is certified by manufacturers and meets strict regulatory requirements. The load-bearing structure of the outer walls NOVATOP SOLID, 84 mm thick, meets the required fire resistance of 45 minutes on its own. We chose façade panels for the placement of mineral thermal insulation (it is more economically advantageous than insulating only from the exterior) and for running installations.”
Did you encounter difficult moments during the implementation?
“It was very challenging to process the production documentation for the wooden structure that was related to the new reinforced concrete beams. However, these beams were not executed due to climatic conditions – because the construction wanted to keep the existing roof structure for as long as possible. We had to measure the existing structure very accurately and account for inaccuracies that could arise during the pouring of the beams. After that, we monitored the assembly of the wooden structure with bated breath. It was made more dramatic by the fact that many structures are visible, so it is not possible to ‘patch’ something as in conventional buildings. The result was very good. The total deviation on the entire building was less than 20 mm, which we resolved by adjusting the thickness of the insulation.”
If you were given the opportunity to design another extension of the school with solid wooden panels, would you go for it? What would you do differently?
“I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment. I would probably try to persuade the investor to use more visible wood, possibly to integrate interior furnishings (e.g., storage spaces) into the structure. The ceiling structure from NOVATOP components also allows for recessed lighting and running installations directly in the structure – such solutions are a challenge for us, but they require increased coordination demands.”
How do you find working with NOVATOP, or designing with it?
“Designing with laminated wood is a joy – it’s such a clean job. The selected supplier of the Czech building system also has very well-prepared documentation for design constructions, certifications, and is willing to consult structural solutions with us. The alternative to solid panels was, of course, a lightweight wooden skeleton, but due to the relatively large span, it was no longer suitable for roof construction.”
Does NOVATOP give you more options for creativity than other building materials and structures?
“Certainly, we can be bolder in our creations because of it. The structures function differently statically than conventional construction – we can utilize wall beams, suspend ceilings on walls a floor above, play with the structure, and moreover, consider all the details to maximize visibility. During the design process, architects and structural engineers collaborate very closely to maximize the outcome – as evidenced by our design for the NOVATOP exhibition at the ‘DŘEVOSTAVBY 2012’ fair.”
The implementation of the wooden structure was ensured by a company with extensive experience with this material. How long did the assembly of NOVATOP elements take?
“We implemented the construction with four people and by the fourth day from the start of the assembly, we completed both parts of the extension, including cleaning the construction site. The precision of the building system and the speed of assembly pleasantly surprised all construction participants,” says Martin Novák from Dřevostavby MC, adding: “The main advantage of this system is simplicity and speed, because when you take off the old roof, you must replace it with a new one as quickly as possible. And of course, the weight! Because of the low weight, we can create extensions even in places where it wouldn’t otherwise be feasible. This applies to larger buildings as well as family houses. Especially old brick structures often cannot support another brick floor. And in many cases, the most important thing is that the implementation of wooden extensions is not more expensive than using other technologies. On the contrary, it is much more efficient.”
Did the weather give you trouble?
“Concerns about the weather are never unfounded, even though compared to other construction methods, we don’t need weeks of good weather. A few days is enough for us. However, as soon as we were able to start assembling, it began to rain, and we had to interrupt the construction for one day. Of course, wind was also a problem, but we had a skilled crane operator who managed it.”
Did you try to assemble some parts “as a dry run” below, or did everything happen for real?
“We assembled everything for real up in the fourth floor, but of course, we prepared everything carefully in advance.”
Let’s hope that this solution for roof extensions will not be unique in our country. The trend of wooden kindergartens and schools is evident in several countries, and it is good that thanks to these projects, it is finally coming to us as well.
The interview was prepared by: Stanislav Müller, DiS, DrevoPortal.cz
More information about the NOVATOP system at www.novatop-system.cz
“First, we developed two variants of the study, which we presented to the city council and also the public. The first variant preserved the architectural expression of the building – a hipped roof, but it only included two classrooms without facilities for teachers. This variant presented the preservation of the existing appearance of the building but with worse usability. The classrooms would not meet the regulation requirement for a 3 m clear height – it would be necessary to negotiate an exemption with hygiene authorities. In the second variant – the winning one – we altered the architectural expression of the building, raising the roof to create two fully functional classrooms with a clear height of 3 m, teacher’s offices, and space for placing telecommunications equipment.”
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“Thanks to the geometry of the roof, the NOVATOP system became the ideal solution. We needed to fit the structure under the eaves of the adjacent roof, and no other structure allowed that. For example, we worked with nailed trusses, which seemed to us an interesting option in terms of cost and time, but due to the requirements for room heights and eave restrictions, there was not enough space for them. Also, the main eave would not be as delicate if we used trusses. At the same time, the NOVATOP roof panels, with an internal ribbed structure, handled the small height with large spans and large openings of 750 mm in diameter for light tubes. A key criterion was also the low weight of the entire wooden structure, which minimizes the load on the original building. Last but not least was the creation of a slim eave structure to avoid creating a thermal bridge. Another very important argument was the speed of construction, as the original intention was to complete it during the summer holidays. As an added benefit of this choice, the option to use visible wood became apparent – all the ceiling structures inside are wooden, and the wood is also on the central load-bearing wall towards the classrooms. This ensures a pleasant working environment that is cozy and modern.”
Did you face challenges regarding fire safety?
“We consult fire safety concept solutions with specialists already in the study phase. Therefore, well in advance, we know what we can afford and when we need to compromise on requirements. We always come up with bold ideas and look for solutions on how to implement them – for instance, in this project, we secured wooden visible structures directly in the classrooms. The fire resistance of the materials and construction assemblies is certified by manufacturers and meets strict regulatory requirements. The load-bearing structure of the outer walls NOVATOP SOLID, 84 mm thick, meets the required fire resistance of 45 minutes on its own. We chose façade panels for the placement of mineral thermal insulation (it is more economically advantageous than insulating only from the exterior) and for running installations.”
Did you encounter difficult moments during the implementation?
“It was very challenging to process the production documentation for the wooden structure that was related to the new reinforced concrete beams. However, these beams were not executed due to climatic conditions – because the construction wanted to keep the existing roof structure for as long as possible. We had to measure the existing structure very accurately and account for inaccuracies that could arise during the pouring of the beams. After that, we monitored the assembly of the wooden structure with bated breath. It was made more dramatic by the fact that many structures are visible, so it is not possible to ‘patch’ something as in conventional buildings. The result was very good. The total deviation on the entire building was less than 20 mm, which we resolved by adjusting the thickness of the insulation.”
If you were given the opportunity to design another extension of the school with solid wooden panels, would you go for it? What would you do differently?
“I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment. I would probably try to persuade the investor to use more visible wood, possibly to integrate interior furnishings (e.g., storage spaces) into the structure. The ceiling structure from NOVATOP components also allows for recessed lighting and running installations directly in the structure – such solutions are a challenge for us, but they require increased coordination demands.”
How do you find working with NOVATOP, or designing with it?
“Designing with laminated wood is a joy – it’s such a clean job. The selected supplier of the Czech building system also has very well-prepared documentation for design constructions, certifications, and is willing to consult structural solutions with us. The alternative to solid panels was, of course, a lightweight wooden skeleton, but due to the relatively large span, it was no longer suitable for roof construction.”
Does NOVATOP give you more options for creativity than other building materials and structures?
“Certainly, we can be bolder in our creations because of it. The structures function differently statically than conventional construction – we can utilize wall beams, suspend ceilings on walls a floor above, play with the structure, and moreover, consider all the details to maximize visibility. During the design process, architects and structural engineers collaborate very closely to maximize the outcome – as evidenced by our design for the NOVATOP exhibition at the ‘DŘEVOSTAVBY 2012’ fair.”
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The implementation of the wooden structure was ensured by a company with extensive experience with this material. How long did the assembly of NOVATOP elements take?
“We implemented the construction with four people and by the fourth day from the start of the assembly, we completed both parts of the extension, including cleaning the construction site. The precision of the building system and the speed of assembly pleasantly surprised all construction participants,” says Martin Novák from Dřevostavby MC, adding: “The main advantage of this system is simplicity and speed, because when you take off the old roof, you must replace it with a new one as quickly as possible. And of course, the weight! Because of the low weight, we can create extensions even in places where it wouldn’t otherwise be feasible. This applies to larger buildings as well as family houses. Especially old brick structures often cannot support another brick floor. And in many cases, the most important thing is that the implementation of wooden extensions is not more expensive than using other technologies. On the contrary, it is much more efficient.”
Did the weather give you trouble?
“Concerns about the weather are never unfounded, even though compared to other construction methods, we don’t need weeks of good weather. A few days is enough for us. However, as soon as we were able to start assembling, it began to rain, and we had to interrupt the construction for one day. Of course, wind was also a problem, but we had a skilled crane operator who managed it.”
Did you try to assemble some parts “as a dry run” below, or did everything happen for real?
“We assembled everything for real up in the fourth floor, but of course, we prepared everything carefully in advance.”
Let’s hope that this solution for roof extensions will not be unique in our country. The trend of wooden kindergartens and schools is evident in several countries, and it is good that thanks to these projects, it is finally coming to us as well.
The interview was prepared by: Stanislav Müller, DiS, DrevoPortal.cz
More information about the NOVATOP system at www.novatop-system.cz
The English translation is powered by AI tool. Switch to Czech to view the original text source.
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