Refrigeration and freezing facility of meat, fruit, and vegetables

Project idea

The subject of the solution is the construction of a refrigeration and freezing facility for food. The land for this building is located in South Moravia, adjacent to a photovoltaic power plant. The refrigeration and freezing facility should also have its own photovoltaic system to ensure at least partial independence from the electrical grid. Such a designed facility could and should primarily serve regional producers.

Project description

The area in question is located in South Moravia, specifically near the village of Jevišovka in the Břeclav region, close to the Austrian border. The surrounding landscape is mostly flat and heavily used for agriculture. This supports the potential demand for a refrigeration and freezing facility. In the immediate vicinity of the site is a relatively large photovoltaic power plant. Of course, this raises the question of why quality South Moravian soil is occupied by solar panels instead of being used for agriculture. Previously, a large-capacity pig fattening farm, built by the previous regime, stood on this site and the site of the potential refrigeration and freezing facility. As a result, the soil is contaminated and cannot be used for agriculture.

A road runs close to the site, ending at an intersection about a kilometer to the north. Here it connects to a secondary road that links Hrušovany nad Jevišovkou with Drnholec. To the south, the village of Jevišovka is within sight. It is about a 10-minute walk to the beginning of the village, though this involves walking along the side of the road as there is no better pedestrian infrastructure.

There are two exits from the road to the site. My design uses the southern access. The transportation access functions as follows:

freight transport - entry past the guardhouse and then into the yard, where there is a turning "hammer" for the trucks to maneuver

personal transport - one of the key aspects of the design is integrating parking into the building. I did not want an uncovered parking lot in front of the building. The aim was to have a cohesive complex. Therefore, the first parking lot is inside the yard and is intended mainly for administrative and guardhouse staff. The second parking lot has a larger capacity but is not oriented towards the yard and is not 100% monitored.

The cornerstone of the design is the courtyard concept, around which the entire building is constructed. This idea is inspired by the typical South Moravian landscape. Initially, the design aimed to create a cluster of buildings with gabled roofs to respect the character of the traditional countryside.

Another important aspect is transparency, specifically the transparency of the facade. The facade material is copilot, enhanced by the translucent wooden structure behind almost all the copilots.

The third aspect is the overall expression of the facade. It is uniform across the entire building, but uniform does not mean identical. Each wall has its unique appearance. The overall theme of the facade is to symbolize and reflect the function of the refrigeration and freezing facility. When thinking of winter, cold, and frost, many associations come to mind. I worked with elements of fog, steam, and clouds, which are the unifying features of the exterior. However, I also aimed to visually differentiate the refrigeration (and freezing) and administrative buildings through the facade design. The refrigeration and freezing buildings are significantly lighter due to the higher density of clouds and small gray areas between them. The administrative buildings have the opposite design.

The entire building's layout is maximized for functionality, consisting of several smaller buildings with different ceiling heights to meet the specific needs of each operation. Let's describe the layout by following the path of a refrigeration worker starting a shift. This employee will likely park in the more distant parking lot, then walk past the guardhouse and enter the building through the courtyard, passing part of the administrative section. They will arrive at the locker room and hygiene facilities to get ready for their shift. Then they continue through a corridor to the main dispatch and receiving area, from where they can proceed to the refrigeration, freezing, or ice production areas.

The administrative employee's movement is different, with closer parking and a separate restroom. However, the green atrium should serve as a unifying element, a place where all employees can meet. It is directly connected to the break room, providing employees the opportunity to enjoy their lunch outside during the summer months.

Technical information

Structurally, the object can be divided into three parts:

Reinforced concrete skeleton – from which the production section is built, i.e., directly the freezer, cooler, shipping area, etc.

Wall-bearing system – found in the administrative section, hygiene facilities, gatehouse, etc.

Wooden skeleton – this system is used to construct shelters for automobiles and corridors leading through the area on the inner side.

As for the materials used for the appearance, there are not many of them here. Copilit has already been mentioned above and is also mentioned further. The perforated metal facade has also been partially mentioned and is further explained. However, roofs have not been discussed yet. They are also made from one material throughout the entire area, but in two different colors. It is corrugated roof covering in two shades of gray. These directly respond to the facade. Therefore, the darker one is above the darker facade, i.e., the non-production part, and the lighter one is above the freezer facilities, etc.

Documentation

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