The winner of annual international contest “Pre-Fab House of the Year 2017” is a terraced houses complex in Sweden by Puitpaneel OÜ

Estonian Woodhouse Association and Estonian Wooden Houses Cluster organized the contest of “Pre-Fab House of the Year” for the 7th time. This year 22 Estonian wooden houses producers participated with 31 works from Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Finland and Austria. The overall winner of this year’s contest is a project of terraced houses in Sweden by Puitpaneel OÜ.

“Pre-Fab House of the Year” is a contest that awards and acknowledges active Estonian wooden houses producers and chooses the best of the best factory produced Estonian wooden houses. Wooden houses sector is one of the biggest sources of export income and the contest is the most respectable among acknowledgements for the sector’ s companies. This year’ s contest had 31 timber frame buildings, among them 4 handcrafted log houses, 3 machind log houses, 4 garden houses and 20 element or modular houses. Next to private homes and apartment buildings there were also developments of terraced houses, a kindergarten, a nursing home, office buildings, holiday houses, summer houses, garden houses, even a smoke sauna and a manor pavilion.

Chairman of the jury, Jarek Kurnitski, who has evaluated the contest’ s works over several years said that this year there were many contestants and it was rather difficult to choose the best. “This year’ s contest showed that in order to win it is not necessary to build big and complex buildings. Good and well-planned architecture, smart engineering-technical solutions and for the end client user friendliness and cost effectiveness are enough,” noted Jarek Kurnitski.

Photo: Overall winner and Best Timber Frame House- Puitpaneel OÜ, Alo Ivask (EAS Chairman of the board) and Jarek Kurnitski (Chairman of the jury). Author: Jelena Rudi

Overall winner of “Pre-Fab House of the Year 2017” and the winner of the best timber-frame house category Puitpaneel OÜ’s terraced houses complex in Sweden consists of 61 terraced house apartments which are divided into 2 groups of terraced houses, with total living area of 7370 m2. Project differed from others with its technically complex solutions (such as a winter garden planned on top of the roof) and architectural whole. Groups of terraced houses fit well with landscape and create an outstanding and wholesome living environment.  

Member of the Board of Puitpaneel OÜ, Janek Paabut said while accepting the award that the winning work was a complex and big project that offered challenge for the entire team. „That sort of terraced house development project is the biggest in the history of Puitpaneel OÜ both financially and by volume.” Janek Paabut acknowledges all co-operation partners and suppliers on the name of Puitpaneel OÜ. All of them had an important role in the project. „Thank you also to Estonian Wooden Houses Association and Wooden Houses Cluster for keeping the contest of Pre-Fab House of the Year alive over the past 7 years. Wooden houses deserve acknowledgement,” added Paabut.

Main categories of the contest:

Special categories and awards:

  • Best Public Building,  Kodumaja AS
  • Architectural prize, Timbeco Woodhouse OÜ
  • Best Timber Use Raitwood special award, Pärnu Log Homes OÜ
  • Most Energy Efficient Building, special award by ISOVER/Saint-Gobain Ehitustooted AS,  Sense OÜ
  • Delfi moodnekodu.ee readers favorite,  EstNor OÜ
  • Tervemaja OÜ brand „pro clima“ special award,  Sense OÜ
  • Akzo Nobel Baltics AS favorite timber frame house, EstNor OÜ
  • ESSVE’ s the most Nordic wooden house award, Estnor OÜ
  • Monier’ s Best Tile Roof special award, Timbeco Woodhouse OÜ
  • Velux Eesti OÜ special award for the Best Natural Lighting Solution, Tender Ehitus OÜ

Jury of the contest consisted of the following members: Professor Dr Targo Kalamees (Tallinn University of Technology), Dr Veronika Valk (Ministry of Culture), Professor, Dr Jarek Kurnitski (Tallinn University of Technology), Margus Sarmet (RKAS, State Real Estate Ltd.), Markus Kaasik (architect) and Eva Kiisler (journalist).

Sponsors and supporters: Akzo Nobel Baltics AS, B&B Tools Estonia AS, ISOVER/ Saint-Gobain Ehitustooted AS, Monier OÜ, Raitwood (AS Rait), Ruukki Products AS, Senco, Tervemaja OÜ, Velux Eesti OÜ, Delfi, Ehitusuudised, Estonian Wooden Houses Association and Estonian Wooden Houses Cluster.

The contest is supported by European Regional Development Fund within the cluster development program.

www.estonia.ee 

9.4.2017 / News