Industrial Hall Liko-Vo
The industrial area on the southwestern edge of Slavkov u Brna has expanded this year with another green building. After the experimental object LIKO-Noe, which serves as a development center for a company that produces interior partitions, prefabricated halls, and green elements for construction, a new production hall LIKO-Vo has been launched here, the first "living" hall in the world. The concept of living buildings is based on natural thermal stabilization, ensured by the green roof and facade, retention pond, and other technologies, allowing them to cool not only themselves but also their surroundings—unlike conventional hall structures. In addition to their obvious aesthetic benefits and thermal insulation capabilities, the green areas function as a root wastewater treatment plant, naturally cleaning wastewater, which is then reused for irrigation. With the construction of the hall, LIKO-S responds to the current climate situation and aims to inspire environmental consideration.
Green Area
It is estimated that over the past twenty years, production and storage halls have been constructed in the Czech landscape covering a total area of 45 thousand hectares, to which must be added almost the same amount of paved (manipulative and parking) areas. This means that a total of 90 thousand hectares of mostly fertile and water-absorbing land have been occupied by roofs, under which profit is generated, but which dramatically accelerate water runoff from the landscape while reflecting solar rays, thus heating their surroundings. These buildings also consume a large amount of energy for heating and cooling, further burdening nature and contributing to financial demands during their operation.
In this regard, LIKO-S strives to be a pioneer and has long sought to give back to nature what it took from it through construction. The company is gradually transforming its production area into a 21st-century industrial zone, which in the first phase included planting trees and climbing greenery that serve as a kind of natural air conditioning units; today, we find grassy parking areas, green roofs and facades, root wastewater treatment plants, and retention ponds, photovoltaics... All residual areas in the complex are also richly planted with greenery, and plants even self-propagate here. In line with the philosophy of a "happy and green company," the company also supports electromobility. Thanks to measuring and regular data evaluation, these "green" solutions can be further developed, with their contributions demonstrable both empirically and qualitatively—the pleasant working environment benefits not only employees but also the surrounding fauna and flora. The entire area can be visited (virtually or in person) through the LIKO-S Trail, which the company operates as part of its educational activities.
LIKO-Noe – Prototype of a Commercial Object
In 2015, the first living building, the administrative and development center LIKO-Noe, was constructed on the premises and is meant to serve as a prototype for a commercial object. The building and its operation are designed based on natural thermal stabilization, which means that natural resources are primarily utilized for cooling and heating, considering minimal environmental burden. The object has a root wastewater treatment plant, repeatedly uses rain and wastewater, and utilizes solar energy for photovoltaic panels and a solar thermal wall that charges the substrate and enhances the performance of the heat pump; as a result, it can operate without air conditioning, and even during high outdoor temperatures, the indoor climate is pleasant. The experimental building consists of two parts: the above-ground part is a prefabricated wooden structure made from load-bearing CLT panels, the walls are insulated with diffusion-open sprayed insulation, and the final cladding consists of a living facade; the wooden building was chosen for its ecological benefits as a construction material and the speed of construction—assembly took just 27 days, although it was preceded by a year's preparation. The underground part, which houses the acoustic chamber, is made of monolithic concrete. The retention pond serves to accumulate rainwater and treated water, protects the building from overheating, and also acts as a mirror for the solar collectors. The architecture of the object represents a dichotomous perception of space, enhancing the effect on the human experience with its duality. One feels as if entering something connected to the earth, to the essence, visually represented by large wheels full of greenery. The internal structure corresponds to the external form, the weight of the structure is denied by its truthfulness, leaving only the spatial experience with a horizon smoothly transitioning through views from the interior to the exterior.
LIKO-Vo – The First Living Production Hall in the World
The living hall LIKO-Vo, covered with dozens of plant species, follows its predecessor and seeks to inspire other investors and architects to be considerate of the environment, not only in cities but also in industrial construction, which is primarily oriented toward quick profits and treats the landscape vulgarly. While conventional halls clad in standard materials heat their surroundings to temperatures of up to 80 °C, the living hall can reduce heat radiation and cool its environment by up to 10 °C. According to the company's director Libor Musil, living buildings can help address the issues of heat islands and the drying out of landscapes that are on the verge of sustainability. The building, serving as a production hall for metal manufacturing and a facility for finishing work, traces the footprint of the existing production hall and is designed as a single-story structure without a basement. In the southern part, there is a two-story annex, where the ground floor houses offices, locker rooms, and hygiene facilities, while the upper floor contains offices, a conference room, and a staff lounge. The object has an irregular footprint measuring 41.5 × 26.4 meters and is roofed with a combination of sloped and flat roofs to ensure sufficient illumination of the interior spaces; above the annex, the roof plane is set back, creating a walkable green roof accessible by an outdoor staircase. The southern facade, where the terrace for employees is oriented, is covered with climbing greenery on stainless steel grids. The eastern perforated facade is clad with vertical beds, which partly serve as a root wastewater treatment plant. Folds in the facade allow filtered light to flow into the interior, and living greenery is also used inside the hall. On the northern side, there is a statically independent canopy intended for shipping, whose northern facade is also comprised of climbing greenery.
The architecture of the object fully adheres to the main idea of the entire design, which in this case is to work in harmony with nature while having all the modern conveniences. To live in accordance with nature, to not be a burden, and that is not only visually but also from a practical perspective. The attributes of true ecological thinking in this case are directly carriers of architectural forms. The object thus becomes a pure natural form of new type, openly acknowledging its origin and minimizing any material presence.
Green Area
It is estimated that over the past twenty years, production and storage halls have been constructed in the Czech landscape covering a total area of 45 thousand hectares, to which must be added almost the same amount of paved (manipulative and parking) areas. This means that a total of 90 thousand hectares of mostly fertile and water-absorbing land have been occupied by roofs, under which profit is generated, but which dramatically accelerate water runoff from the landscape while reflecting solar rays, thus heating their surroundings. These buildings also consume a large amount of energy for heating and cooling, further burdening nature and contributing to financial demands during their operation.
In this regard, LIKO-S strives to be a pioneer and has long sought to give back to nature what it took from it through construction. The company is gradually transforming its production area into a 21st-century industrial zone, which in the first phase included planting trees and climbing greenery that serve as a kind of natural air conditioning units; today, we find grassy parking areas, green roofs and facades, root wastewater treatment plants, and retention ponds, photovoltaics... All residual areas in the complex are also richly planted with greenery, and plants even self-propagate here. In line with the philosophy of a "happy and green company," the company also supports electromobility. Thanks to measuring and regular data evaluation, these "green" solutions can be further developed, with their contributions demonstrable both empirically and qualitatively—the pleasant working environment benefits not only employees but also the surrounding fauna and flora. The entire area can be visited (virtually or in person) through the LIKO-S Trail, which the company operates as part of its educational activities.
LIKO-Noe – Prototype of a Commercial Object
In 2015, the first living building, the administrative and development center LIKO-Noe, was constructed on the premises and is meant to serve as a prototype for a commercial object. The building and its operation are designed based on natural thermal stabilization, which means that natural resources are primarily utilized for cooling and heating, considering minimal environmental burden. The object has a root wastewater treatment plant, repeatedly uses rain and wastewater, and utilizes solar energy for photovoltaic panels and a solar thermal wall that charges the substrate and enhances the performance of the heat pump; as a result, it can operate without air conditioning, and even during high outdoor temperatures, the indoor climate is pleasant. The experimental building consists of two parts: the above-ground part is a prefabricated wooden structure made from load-bearing CLT panels, the walls are insulated with diffusion-open sprayed insulation, and the final cladding consists of a living facade; the wooden building was chosen for its ecological benefits as a construction material and the speed of construction—assembly took just 27 days, although it was preceded by a year's preparation. The underground part, which houses the acoustic chamber, is made of monolithic concrete. The retention pond serves to accumulate rainwater and treated water, protects the building from overheating, and also acts as a mirror for the solar collectors. The architecture of the object represents a dichotomous perception of space, enhancing the effect on the human experience with its duality. One feels as if entering something connected to the earth, to the essence, visually represented by large wheels full of greenery. The internal structure corresponds to the external form, the weight of the structure is denied by its truthfulness, leaving only the spatial experience with a horizon smoothly transitioning through views from the interior to the exterior.
LIKO-Vo – The First Living Production Hall in the World
The living hall LIKO-Vo, covered with dozens of plant species, follows its predecessor and seeks to inspire other investors and architects to be considerate of the environment, not only in cities but also in industrial construction, which is primarily oriented toward quick profits and treats the landscape vulgarly. While conventional halls clad in standard materials heat their surroundings to temperatures of up to 80 °C, the living hall can reduce heat radiation and cool its environment by up to 10 °C. According to the company's director Libor Musil, living buildings can help address the issues of heat islands and the drying out of landscapes that are on the verge of sustainability. The building, serving as a production hall for metal manufacturing and a facility for finishing work, traces the footprint of the existing production hall and is designed as a single-story structure without a basement. In the southern part, there is a two-story annex, where the ground floor houses offices, locker rooms, and hygiene facilities, while the upper floor contains offices, a conference room, and a staff lounge. The object has an irregular footprint measuring 41.5 × 26.4 meters and is roofed with a combination of sloped and flat roofs to ensure sufficient illumination of the interior spaces; above the annex, the roof plane is set back, creating a walkable green roof accessible by an outdoor staircase. The southern facade, where the terrace for employees is oriented, is covered with climbing greenery on stainless steel grids. The eastern perforated facade is clad with vertical beds, which partly serve as a root wastewater treatment plant. Folds in the facade allow filtered light to flow into the interior, and living greenery is also used inside the hall. On the northern side, there is a statically independent canopy intended for shipping, whose northern facade is also comprised of climbing greenery.
The architecture of the object fully adheres to the main idea of the entire design, which in this case is to work in harmony with nature while having all the modern conveniences. To live in accordance with nature, to not be a burden, and that is not only visually but also from a practical perspective. The attributes of true ecological thinking in this case are directly carriers of architectural forms. The object thus becomes a pure natural form of new type, openly acknowledging its origin and minimizing any material presence.
Fránek Architects
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