Forests of the Czech Republic have a new ecological building for the forest administration in Stříbrná near Sokolov

Stříbrná (Sokolovsko) – Forests of the Czech Republic (LČR) built a modern forestry management building in Stříbrná near Kraslice in the Sokolov region for 52 million crowns. During August, employees will relocate from an unsuitable family house in Kraslice where they have been located so far. LČR spokesperson Eva Jouklová informed ČTK. The old building is set to be converted into apartments.

"The lower part of the building up to the first floor consists of ceramic and concrete masonry, while the extension on the second floor is wooden. Natural materials were used for the facade and interiors. The basement is covered with stone, and the upper floor as well as the main two-story part of the building features wooden slats," said the CEO of LČR, Dalibor Šafařík. The company has long favored wood as a building material for its constructions. "This reduces our carbon footprint and supports the domestic wood processing industry,” added the director.

According to spokesperson Jouklová, the building blends with the surrounding nature of the Ore Mountains, even though it is a larger administrative building. "This is due to the embedding of the basement into the sloping terrain and the differentiated design of the above-ground floors. The dominant feature is the northern two-story part designed as a barn, a simple building with a gabled roof, traditional for this mountainous area," she described the forestry management concept.

“We have offices and a spacious conference room equipped with projection technology for 30 people, garages, and a cooling box for game from our hunting grounds, which we will offer to the public,” said Alexandr Fous, the forestry manager from Kraslice. The paved area includes walkways and 23 parking spaces, to which two more charging stations for electric vehicles will be added. The building is heated by heat pumps, and the installation of photovoltaics is planned for the future.

According to Jouklová, LČR purchased the land in 2016. "However, the foresters had to wait to begin construction until after the bark beetle calamity. An architectural competition preceded it, in which the study by the MONarch Atelier from Ostrov nad Ohří captured the most attention in 2018," she said. The company Konopa started construction in August 2022. Work on the building was completed in April this year, after which interior work was carried out. The foresters are now preparing to move, and they will begin operating at the new address in August. The original administrative building on Tyršova Street in Kraslice could potentially be converted into apartments for foresters in the future. Alternatively, LČR may lease the space.