A place for a dignified life – the BAZALKA Center – is growing with the support of wienerberger

illustration Centrum Bazalka, source: wienerberger Building type: Home with special regime Location: České Budějovice Investor: Centrum BAZALKA, ops Architect: Ing. architect Jan Klein, Ateliér Klein Construction: Perimeter masonry from brick blocks filled with mineral wool Porotherm 50 T Profi, Porotherm 30 and 24 Profi, Porotherm 14 and 20 T Profi, Tondach Contiton roof tiles, Semmelrock paving, Porotherm KP, KP XL and KP Vario UNI lintels. The used range from wienerberger: ● Porotherm 30 Profi ● Porotherm 24 Profi ● Porotherm 50 T Profi ● Porotherm 20 T Profi ● Porotherm KP translations ● Tondach Contiton 12 ● Semmelrock tiling In České Budějovice, the construction of the second stage of the exceptional project Centrum BAZALKA – Home with special regime (DZR) continues. The new building will connect to the already completed Home for Persons with Disabilities (DOZP) and expand the center's capacity. The facility is intended for clients with autism spectrum disorders and combined disabilities between the ages of 10 and 50. The rough construction should be completed by the end of 2025 and will offer another 18 rooms divided into four households. The first, already approved stage – DOZP – provides facilities for ten adult clients aged 18 and over. Each of them has their own room and common areas on the floor, which promote a communal way of life. The project is an example that architecture can be not only functional and aesthetic, but also sensitive to the individual needs of people with special needs. Ateliér Klein is behind the proposal for both stages, which was able to combine a professional approach with respect for users. Wienerberger also played a significant role in the construction, donating building material for the second stage worth over 3 million crowns – Porotherm bricks, Tondach roof tiles and Semmelrock paving. «The BAZALKA center was founded on the basis of a personal story. In 2000, my colleague Vanda Polívková and I asked ourselves the question of what will happen to our children and who will take care of them in the future, when we are no longer able to – in České Budějovice there was a lack of a place where people with severe disabilities could live long-term. There is still an insufficient range of social services that would offer care to this extent. In BAZALKA, our clients can live until the end life, in an environment that is close to them, where they have their own rooms and where they are looked after with dignity. This is why the support from wienerberger was extremely valuable to us. A house that combines safety, peace and dignity was created,» says Martina Koudelková, founder and fundraiser of the BAZALKA Centre. The wienerberger company has long been dedicated to supporting projects that have a positive impact on the community. For example, last year she donated roof tiles for the reconstruction of the scout clubhouse in Verměřovice or bricks for the construction of the Social Services Center in Holice. «The BAZALKA center is exactly the type of building where it makes sense to combine technical know-how with humanity. We are glad that our materials could contribute to the creation of an environment that provides clients with security, peace and a dignified background. We are proud to be part of projects that make sense not only professionally, but also humanly,» says Kristýna Vobecká, manager of ESG and sustainability at wienerberger, who is in charge of CSR activities. The author of the design of both projects is architect Jan Klein from Ateliér Klein. «Our goal was to create an environment that is non-institutional, peaceful, natural and has a homely atmosphere. We mainly work with natural materials, wood and soft colors. We also used the option of orienting the garden to the southwest,» explains the architect.
The second stage is designed as low-energy and barrier-free, with a logical division of spaces – each client has his own room, the house is divided into four households, there are social rooms, a rehabilitation zone, a professional kitchen and facilities for caregivers and a garden with therapeutic elements. Great emphasis was placed on light, acoustics and the possibility of natural movement. The supplied materials from wienerberger included 12,500 ground Porotherm T Profi bricks and Tondach Contiton roofing. Bricks filled with Porotherm T Profi mineral wool with a width of 50 centimeters were used for the second stage. The materials were chosen with an emphasis on quality and especially acoustics, which was a very important element for clients with special needs, as well as on energy efficiency and longevity. And to ensure a pleasant environment in the summer months, outdoor blinds with Porotherm KP Vario UNI lintels are also included. «Elements of energy self-sufficiency are included in the entire project, we work with retention and removal of rainwater through surface drainage and retention tanks with a volume of 20 m³, we work with solar energy and use heat pumps,» adds Jan Klein. The capacity of the second stage is already almost full, which proves that the interest in a similar type of facility exceeds the offer not only in České Budějovice. «The second building will allow us to offer support to other clients and at the same time make the work of our caregivers easier. We will get new spaces for therapy and facilities for staff. For us, this means another step towards fulfilling the vision of a dignified life for people with disabilities,» adds Martina Koudelková, founder, fundraiser and chairwoman of the BAZALKA Center's board of directors.