Flagship CLT project: SOS Children’s Village in Altmünster

In 2017, Markus Hörmanseder and Philipp Hüttl founded the construction company LibertydotHome in their shared student apartment. Austrian timber wholesaler J. u. A. Frischeis (JAF) has been the start-up’s partner for almost as long. The company also offered the LibertydotHome team its concentrated CLT expertise for the extensive construction project of the SOS Children’s Village in Altmünster. We already reported on the first construction phase in last year’s CLT Special (pages 22 and 23). Now, Hüttl is particularly pleased to be able to report on the final phase of the project which was completed as scheduled in late September.

Future-oriented on many levels

The nearly 70-year-old SOS Children’s Village in Altmünster is one of the oldest in the world. So far, it has been a home for more than 1,200 children. In 2022, the groundbreaking ceremony took place for the comprehensive renovation of the Children’s Village, which is forward-looking in educational, ecological and structural terms. A total of eleven buildings made of CLT were built in two construction phases. “When building the new village, great importance was attached to sustainable building. The houses are made of cross-laminated timber and have a ventilated façade consisting of timber frame elements,” Hüttl tells us and adds: “It has been scientifically proven that wood has a balancing effect on the mood of residents. This is very important, especially for the children living in the village.”

Putting the children first

The well-being of children is at the heart of the work of the SOS Children’s Village, and active climate protection is essential for their future. With its climate-friendly properties, wood was therefore the obvious building material for LibertydotHome, which used products from JAF’s extensive portfolio. In addition, a biomass-powered heating system was installed, and a large photovoltaic system on the roof of the administrative building generates electricity. A saltwater tank for storing energy as well as the reduction of sealed soil area complement the concept behind the project, which also barely affected the existing tree population. Furthermore, the SOS Children’s Village is a car-free area. The children were actively involved in the planning and construction process. A viewing platform was built on top of one of the containers on the construction site so that the little observers would not miss anything.

Actively promoting change in construction culture

“As a general contractor, we try to take ecological, economic and social aspects into account in every project. We want to deliver what is the best solution over the entire life cycle of a building,” Hüttl says, explaining the goal of changing construction culture, and adds: “We are literally building on a successful partnership. At our completion party in late September, we were able to celebrate this solidarity between everyone involved in the project.”

The partnership between LibertydotHome and JAF is also based on collaboration. “Being able to count on the great partnership with JAF over so many years is a huge advantage in this project. JAF’s CLT expert Andreas Lexmüller has known us since we established our company. So far, he found a solution to every problem we have had. We are also delighted with the wood products JAF supplied. The quality of the CLT surface and the wooden façade elements is unparalleled,” Hüttl sums up enthusiastically.

CLT expertise

At JAF, a team of recognized CLT experts is responsible for the personal support of customers in their respective CLT projects. For the SOS Children’s Village, JAF supplied 1,200 m³ of CLT, 3,000 m² of formwork for the façades, 50 m³ of glulam and 30 m³ of solid structural timber. When it comes to CLT, JAF’s strengths lie not only in the procurement of the right material and in seamless logistics. If necessary, the team also provides technical support to commercial customers – in 3D planning as well as in preliminary structural analyses and the optimization of cross-sections. Planning services also include data preparation for the joinery process. The degree of prefabrication is also defined together with the customer before the cross-laminated timber finds its way to the construction site on schedule. JAF’s experts provide professional, personal support either at one of the company’s branch offices or by telephone or email.