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Zdar Wooden Housing is one of the first multi-storey residential buildings made of timber in the country. An affordable housing project that is the result of collaboration between the city of Žďár nad Sázavou and Česká spořitelna is supported by the Czech Ministry of Regional Development.
Inspired by the city block design
Designed by Kuba & Pilař architekti, the construction is located in the Klafar area in the northwest of the city of Žďár nad Sázavou, at the corner of Sázavská and K Milířům streets. The layout, based on the traditional city block design, defines the character of areas, including private front gardens, public street spaces, and semi-private courtyards oriented to the south. Leisure areas and lush vegetation occupy the western part of the site.
Zdar Wooden Housing’s residential area
The buildings are composed of simple vertical sections with four above-ground floors and transverse load-bearing walls. Between the walls, recessed loggias with wooden shutters are located, which provide a pattern of randomness and transparency. The loggias are incorporated into the facades facing the courtyard, while the north features wooden access galleries and an elevator, and staircase cores made of reinforced concrete. The northern facades with strip windows are flatter and more enclosed. The residential areas are mostly oriented to the southwest. By shifting toward the courtyard relative to the gallery, the apartments create a vertical atrium with vegetation between them and the gallery.
The leisure activities in the courtyard
The courtyard on the level of the first floor of the B and C buildings is intended for leisure activities. Gravel surfaces with benches dominate the design, which features an abundance of greenery, including trees, a pergola, and planting beds. A path connects the courtyard with public spaces to the west. An amphitheatre-like sloped seating area is designed on the slope between the courtyard and the front of building A.
All building structures are premade and assembled on site. Elevator and staircase cores alongside retaining walls, and exterior elements are made of reinforced concrete, while the remaining areas are made of timber. Walls and floor slabs are constructed from environmentally friendly cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels, while the gallery is created from glued-laminated timber trusses.
Sustainable strategies and vegetation
Apart from using eco-friendly materials such as wood and concrete, the building has several other sustainable features. Passive energy strategies are visible in the natural cross-ventilation of all departments and façade shutter shading systems. The abundant vegetation, both on the roof and in the atria, supports both outdoor and indoor spaces. The nature-preserving design principles are also reflected in the landscaping principles, incorporating porous surfaces and organic elements.
By utilising renewable materials and eco-friendly construction methods, the project demonstrates that environmental responsibility does not have to be complex or costly, but can instead be seamlessly embedded into affordable housing projects.
Technical sheet
Architect: Studio Kuba & Pilař architekti
Author: Ladislav Kuba, Tomáš Pilař
Co-author: Radka Vašut, Ivona Uherková P
Project location: Sázavská 10/12, Žďár nad Sázavou, Czech Republic
Structural analysis of wooden structures: TAROS NOVA
Structural analysis of reinforced concrete structures: Pavel Bušina
Construction solutions: OM Consulting
Heating and ventilation: Petr Najman
Electrical installations: Marek Šimoník
Landscaping: Lucie Radilová
Main contractor: Auböck
Wooden structures supplier: Nema
Wooden folding shutters supplier: VOÏVO
