The Sustainable City: Future Timber Buildings

FA VUT - Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture

Project idea

The diploma thesis deals with the issue of sustainable urban development using timber buildings as a means to achieve this goal. It takes into account the knowledge gained in the pre-diploma thesis with the resulting design of a complex of residential buildings and a civic building made of wood in Brno. This ensemble creates a model of the so-called ideal sustainable city, which provides a different perspective on contemporary urban design.

Nowadays, sustainable urban development is one of the main issues in urban planning and architecture. With the growing awareness of environmental and economic challenges, there is an increasing demand for alternative solutions to ensure the viability and prosperity of urban environments. Within this context, timber buildings are gaining increasing attention as an environmentally and economically viable solution for urban construction and planning.

Wood as a building material has unique properties that make it attractive for the urban environment. Its versatility, lightness, thermal insulation properties, and unique aesthetic potential make it an ideal material for modern buildings. In addition to being a renewable resource, its construction and use have a minimal environmental impact compared to traditional building materials.

Project description

Urban design and architecture focuses on green and sustainable urban environments. It aims to encourage residents to take care of their surroundings and the spaces where they spend their lives. It promotes interpersonal relations and the formation of a community spirit. It is a symbiosis of people, nature and animals that complement each other. The design is dominated by timber buildings as the basis of the urbanism and concept.
This form of construction adds sustainability, well-being and innovation to the urban environment. It prioritises environmental responsibility by using renewable resources and minimising the carbon footprint. The visual appeal and warmth of wooden structures create a biophilic connection, promoting the mental and physical well-being of residents. By reducing the urban heat island effect, fostering community integration and positively impacting human health, this vision of the city of the future presents a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation and offers a blueprint for creating resilient, people-centered and environmentally sustainable urban spaces. Through continuous tree planting and rapid reforestation, we are assured of an ample supply of material.
With an emphasis on energy efficiency and environmental friendliness, such a city shows us that urban development and environmental responsibility can complement each other. On a smaller scale, this progressive urban model creates the conditions for a future in which cities, inspired by the practical and sensible use of wood, emphasise the comfort of their inhabitants while striving for a more sustainable and pleasant future in large cities.

Technical information

Community Center:
Each tract of the building is covered with a gable roof and the structural system is made of 240x240mm wooden frames, which are interconnected by a beam on both opposite sides in a 3m module. The building is based on a 350mm thick reinforced concrete slab foundation placed on a 150mm thick gravel bed. The slab is insulated against ground moisture using EPS perimeter insulation boards. It is recommended that piles are added where necessary to strengthen the foundation. The load-bearing and non-load-bearing partitions are formed of Nema timber construction in 125mm and 185mm thicknesses. The façade of the building consists partly of window or door glazing with folding sills and Nema timber panels as sandwich infill between the frames. The front façade towards the square and its opposite side are clad with walls with window openings of chamfered or arched shapes. Both the roof structure and the external facades are clad in natural stained wood cladding. Vertical 60mm columns are used to complement the expression of the facades, giving the building a holistic character and helping to cool the interior spaces, especially on warm sunny days.

The dwelling house:
As with the other buildings, the block of flats is founded on a reinforced concrete slab foundation with a gravel bearing. As there is a heterogeneous soil on the site, it is recommended to add piles in case of heterogeneous raw materials. Structurally, it is a solid panel building based on the CLT system. The perimeter wall consists of walls up to 350mm thick from Nema. The load-bearing partitions are made of 185mm thick panels and non-load-bearing 125mm. Inter-apartment partitions are 306mm thick. Ceilings are of Nema construction in 455mm thickness with underfloor heating in fireproof design. The core is formed by reinforced concrete structures. The flat roof is made of nema fire plus construction in 425mm thickness, with extensive greenery, a layer of urbanscape from knauf is added with the necessary gradient layers. Part of the roof is designed as a walk-on terrace with Bangkirai terrace slabs of 21mm thickness.
The façade consists of wood cladding painted Nordic red with natural oils to protect the wood against ageing and UV rays. Parts of the balconies and loggias are painted white. The window panels on the façade are white for the residential units, and burgundy for the common areas on the ground floor and on the roof. All windows are openable with an added ventilation gap, secured by a glass safety railing. Sunscreens on the façade are sliding or folding with a rail recessed in the cladding. On the roof there is a green façade of one of the walls, which flows into an extensive green area. The pergola overlapping the terrace part is complemented by climbing greenery.

Family house:
The house building is based on a 350mm thick reinforced concrete slab foundation laid on 150mm of gravel bedding. Structurally the building is of timber frame construction where the span between the posts and battens is 600mm. The dimensions of the timbers are 60x120mm. The perimeter wall is complemented by 2 layers of insulation with timber cladding. The load bearing walls are made of KVH prisms with insulation filling in total thickness of 180mm. The load-bearing walls are 100mm thick. The bathroom walls are supplemented with a plumbing partition. The building is roofed with a gable roof typical for wooden buildings of a typical Carpathian house in Moravia. The façade consists of natural oak wood panelling, French window openings and curved roof windows.

Documentation

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