The results of the Green Roof of 2023 competition in the Czech Republic
The Green Roof of the Year competition has been following the situation on the green roof market in the Czech Republic for ten years. Fifteen objects entered in this year’s competition and were visited by members of the expert jury in mid-June. The results of the competition were solemnly announced on September 14, 2023 in the Science and Technology Center (Velký svět techniky) in Ostrava on the occasion of the international conference “Vegetation on buildings as part of adaptation measures to climate change”. During the evaluation, the judges focused on the overall intention and the quality of the architectural design and technical solutions, the sustainability of the project, but also the current state of the green roof.
1st place / Prague Zoo – Dja Reserve, gorilla pavilion
Investor: Zoologická zahrada hl. City of Prague
Contractor: GARPEN ZAHRADNICKÁ spol. s ro
Project authors: ABM architects, Ing. Eduard Chvosta, Ing. Maxim Turba
Other contractors: STRABAG as (general contractor), Ing. František Kolářský – irrigation systems
The winner of the competition was the green roof in the Prague Zoo, which shows one of the ways to integrate modern buildings into the landscape. At the foot of the hill with the medieval Sklenářka homestead, a giant gorilla pavilion was built three years ago, which, with its rounded organic shape and vegetation on the roof, blended perfectly with the surrounding meadows.
The green roof of the gorilla pavilion – the way how modern buildings can be integrated into the landscape.
The Troja basin in the north of Prague provides a dramatic spectacle modeled from the rocks by thousands of years of persistent work of the Vltava current. Thanks to its rugged natural beauty, it attracted the attention of our ancestors who wanted to bring the nature of distant regions to the heart of Central Europe. Thus, a botanical and zoological garden was created on vast areas of rocks, ravines, plateaus, forests and steppes. At the foot of the hill with the medieval Sklenářka estate, a giant gorilla pavilion was built three years ago, with its rounded organic shape to not disturb the work of the greatest landscape architect – nature. But could the monumental architecture of the building merge with the surrounding meadows without the tools of a gardener? Green roof technology was convenient and irreplaceable in this case.
2nd place / Entrance building of the Biotop Brno-jih swimming pool
Contractor: GreenVille service s.r.o.
Other contractors: KOMFORT as (general contractor of reconstruction)
Project authors: PP Architects s.r.o.
Investor: Statutory city of Brno, district of Brno-jih
Place of implementation: K Lávce 749/ 13, Brno – Horní Heršpice
Area: 557 m2 / Year of establishment: 2022
The silver medal goes to Brno for the entrance building of the Biotop Brno-jih swimming pool, with green roof that consists of three different parts. The purpose of both the project was to maintain the architectural shape of the wave and at the same time use the potential of the roof to establish species-diverse meadow vegetation.
The area of the natural swimming pool with a total area of over 20,000 m2 is located in a quiet location by the river Svratka. The facilities in the area are provided by a building with refreshments with its own garden, the green roof of which consists of three different parts. The purpose of both the project and the implementation was to maintain the architectural shape of the wave and at the same time use the potential of the roof to establish species-diverse meadow vegetation. The sloping roof on the eastern part of the building (roof 1) covers an area of 99 m² and uses a composition for sloping green roofs including a retention system. The height of the substrate is 80 mm and the vegetation consists of limestone carpets.
3rd place / Green roof Vinařství Gurdau
Contractor: Zahrady Zapletal s.r.o.
Other contractors: Navláčil stavební firma, s.r.o. (general construction contractor)
Project authors: Ing. arch. Aleš Fiala, Ing. Zdeněk Sendler, Ing. Markéta Jurečková
Investor: Vinařství Gurdau sro
Area: 900 m2 / Year of establishment: 2021
Third place was won by the green roof of the Gurdau Winery, during the creation of which special demands were placed on the architectural and landscape integration of the building into the open landscape. The roof of the arched building is extensive and semi-intensive, while the surroundings of the building were supplemented with bushes and mature trees, often growing through the “holey” roof.
The Gurdau winery was founded in 2012 on a “green meadow” and in the same year the first vineyards were planted on the slopes above the village of Kurdějov. We started thinking about building our own wine house in 2016. Locating the winery in the center of the vineyards is the most logistically and operationally efficient solution, but not quite usual in the Czech Republic, placing special demands on the architectural and landscape integration of the building into the open landscape. Great care was taken to integrate the building into the terrain and its continuity with the cultural and natural greenery. The actual roof of the arch is designed as a green extensive, the surroundings of the building were supplemented with bushes and mature trees, often growing through the “holed” roof, the effect of which in favor of the landscape and the house will become apparent only over time.
Considering that this year was characterized by a large representation of schools, the judges decided to create a special category and evaluate school facilities separately.
School facilities category
1st place / Elementary school Zdiměřice
Contractor: Azeleň sro
Other contractors: PKS stavby as
Project authors: HEXAPLAN INTERNATIONAL spol. s ro – Ing. arch. Josef Pálka (general designer), Ing. Jana Vrbasová (greenery)
Investor: City of Jesenice
Place of implementation: Hrnčířská 500, Prague – Jesenice II., Zdiměřice
Area: 6,500 m2 / Year of establishment: 2021
The first place in this category was won by the Elementary School in Zdiměřice, which is proud of the slogan “school of the 21st century – under a green roof”. Vegetation covers the roofs of all school buildings, including two gymnasiums, and occupies the area of a medium-sized football field. Its predominant function is to retain rainwater, cool the building and improve the microclimate. This work also won the Public Award with the most votes.
School of the 21st century – under a green roof
The new school building in Jesenice leads pupils to realize that man is an integral and active part of the natural system. The individual buildings of the complex are divided into four interconnected units – part of the classrooms, the school administration and entrance hall, catering and physical education. The school achieves a high energy standard. Heating is provided by a cascade of air/water heat pumps, the bivalent heat source is a system of condensing gas boilers. Air exchange is completely ensured by a system of equal pressure ventilation control with heat recovery. The rest areas are equipped with flower walls with automatic watering, the atrium is a distinctive feature.
2nd place / Vocational secondary school Jarov – educational roof garden
Contractor: Gabriel s.r.o.
Other contractors: SOŠ Jarov
Project author: Ing. Jitka Gabrielová, Ing. Aneta Hradecká
Investor: Secondary vocational school Jarov
Area: 100 m2 / Year of establishment: 2021
Second place went to the educational roof terrace of the Secondary Vocational School Jarov, which combines two different study branches – building industry and horticulture. The terrace is laid out in sections in the form of honeycombs, where each cell has a different composition of vegetation with different materials and substrates for roof gardens.
The roof garden of the secondary vocational school connects to the Internet cafe and the youth center, from which it is possible to enter the terrace, and therefore the terrace serves as a place to stay and relax. However, the main reason for establishing the vegetation roof was education. The area is designed as an educational area for teaching not only horticultural disciplines, but also construction – for example, carpenters and plumbers. That is why it is divided into many parts in the form of beehives, where in each cell there is a different composition of vegetation on vegetation assemblages based on the use of different materials and substrates for roof gardens.
3rd place / Elementary school Židlochovice
Contractor: Zahrady Zapletal sro
Other contractors: PORR as – general contractor
Project author: Ing. Jitka Vágnerová
Investor: City of Židlochovice
Area: 832 m2 + 830 m2/ Year of establishment: 2020
Third place was awarded to the green roof of the new primary school pavilion in Židlochovice. Extensive and semi-intensive green roofs were established on its flat roof, as well as on the roof of the renovated dining room. They have an aesthetic function, as they are visible from the school windows, but also an ecological and educational one.
In the new pavilion of the elementary school in Židlochovice, opened in 2020, there are nine specialist classrooms focused on teaching natural subjects. Extensive and semi-intensive green roofs were established on its flat roof, as well as on the roof of the renovated dining room. They have an aesthetic function, as they are visible from the school windows, but also an ecological and educational one.
1st place
Category Family green roof
Green roof on a residential gazebo
Contractor: HT IZOL sro
Project author: Ing. Ferdinand Leffler, Atelier Flera
Area: 130 m2
Established: 2021
In the family green roof category, the award went to the green roof on the residential gazebo in the garden, which is organically placed near the crown of the existing tree. The building is used for the recreation of the residents of the adjacent family house.
The free-standing gazebo in the garden is sensitively planted almost in the crown of the existing tree. The building serves for the recreation of the residents of the adjacent family house, and one of the smallest commercial breweries in the Czech Republic is located in its part. Owner and brewer Tomáš Křížek’s dream of having a brewery in his garden came true. A staircase to the green roof has been built to the gazebo, the function of which is visual, aesthetic and also functions as a relaxation zone.
More information:
Czech Landscape Gardening Association, Czech Green Roof Association – announcer of the competition, info@szuz.cz
Ing. Jana Šimečková, director of SZÚZ, Tel.: +420 777 581 544, e-mail: simeckova@szuz.cz
Photos from the website www.zelenastrecharoku.cz provided by Michael Brázdov, e-mail: brazdova@szuz.cz, mobile: +420 725 745 421/ www.zelenestrechy.info, Follow on Facebook