SILO - Eco Educational centre

Idea projektu

The SILO project was created in response to the challenge of designing a modern, ecological socio-educational center in the city of Stryi. The architectural form was inspired by classic grain silos – characteristic of the region’s agricultural landscape and symbolizing the strength of Ukraine’s economy based on grain export and crop cultivation. The building’s rectangular core is surrounded by a perforated metal mesh shaped like a silo, covered with climbing plants that serve as a natural light filter. In summer, it provides shade for the interior, while in winter – when the plants lose their leaves – it allows sunlight to enter. The facade responds to changing conditions, giving the building a dynamic and living character. In this way, the project merges the traditional and recognizable form of rural architecture with a modern and functional structure.

Popis projektu

The building was designed in response to the need for an open, functional, and resilient public space that would combine educational, gastronomic, workshop, and recreational functions—with a strong emphasis on sustainable technological solutions.
The structure consists of three above-ground floors and one underground level. The basement houses a high-standard shelter, designed as an independent safety zone equipped with medical and social facilities, a communication area, and a multipurpose hall capable of accommodating up to 200 people. This level also contains essential infrastructure systems, including a heat pump, an energy storage unit connected to photovoltaic panels located on the roof, food storage areas, a cold room, and a secure communication room for extended periods of isolation in emergency scenarios.
The ground floor serves a representative and public function. It includes a restaurant, where meals are prepared using vegetables and herbs cultivated on-site—in the greenhouse and on the building’s terraces. Adjacent to the restaurant is a banking zone, as well as a reception area, restrooms, kitchen facilities, technical spaces, and a fully automated parking system accessible from outside. This parking system operates via an entry platform that automatically transports vehicles to one of 12 parking spaces distributed across underground and upper levels.
The first floor features educational workshop spaces designed for children, adults, and local organizations. These spaces are also available for rental or for hosting ecological, craft, and community-focused activities. This level also includes access to a balcony that functions as a greenhouse and garden terrace, forming an integral part of the concept—not only as a cultivation zone but also as an educational tool and ecological element of the building.
The second floor is dedicated to administrative and office functions, including offices, a manager’s room, and a staff social area, as well as vertical circulation and restrooms, as on all lower floors. The rooms are illuminated with optimal levels of natural light, reducing energy consumption and the need for artificial lighting.
The rooftop is designed as an open relaxation and recreational area, offering views of the city and a nearby historic church. It includes seating areas, a designated barbecue zone, and a space for hosting small community events or gatherings. The roof also supports the building’s photovoltaic panel system, which provides renewable energy and is fully integrated into the building’s energy management system.

Technické informace

The SILO building is based on a monolithic load-bearing wall structure, which ensures durability, spatial rigidity, and high resistance of the entire facility. The structural layout was designed with modularity and repetition in mind – construction axes are arranged regularly, which not only facilitates execution but also enables the efficient prefabrication of auxiliary elements.
All floor slabs are designed as reinforced concrete plates, resistant to user loads associated with public functions and technical installations. Their structure allows for flexible interior planning and easy routing of installations without compromising structural integrity.
Particular attention was paid to the basement, which was designed as a reinforced structure with increased static resistance and safety, compliant with the standards of modern civil defense shelters. Structural elements of this level – walls, slabs, and foundations – were additionally thickened and reinforced, providing insulation from external factors and resistance to extreme loads, including impacts and vibrations. This shelter can serve both as a protective zone in emergencies and a multipurpose hall during peacetime.
The building facade combines large glazed surfaces with an external perforated metal mesh, wrapped around the main body of the structure in circular patterns. The mesh is anchored to the reinforced concrete structure and serves both aesthetic and functional purposes – acting as a support for climbing plants and as a natural sun screen.
Inside the building, a repetitive layout of communication shafts and sanitary cores was implemented, significantly facilitating the routing of water, sewage, ventilation, and electrical systems on all floors. This solution also allows for faster system installation during construction and easier maintenance in the long term.
The building is equipped with integrated energy systems, ensuring high efficiency and partial energy independence. The main energy sources are a heat pump and a photovoltaic installation located on the roof. The electricity generated by the solar panels is stored in a battery system located in the basement, enabling the operation of critical systems even in the event of a grid failure.
Interior ventilation is provided by a mechanical ventilation system, which guarantees a continuous flow of fresh air while maintaining low energy consumption.
The entire building is fitted with LED lighting, optimized for low energy use and uniform illumination of all areas—from public zones to technical and service rooms.
The structural, energy, and installation systems of the building are designed to work in synergy, creating a cohesive and optimized user environment, in which sustainable architecture is not merely an idea, but a realized and functioning reality.

Dokumentace

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