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#20 March 2020
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Foreword Dear business partners, this, the first Bulletin of 2020, which you now have in your hands, focuses on people. Our mission is to help people and to enrich the world. On the following pages we lay out some cases illustrating how modularity is able to help us fulfill this mission. According to all indicators and professional forecasts, the past years of economic growth and populism have come to an end. We will have to reflect on this fact. Over the past few years, firms fought to recruit personnel; in the current year we will have to fight for orders. Investments in production processes, and especially in education, innovation and development are connected to this. We are aware of the fact that that nobody will be able to succeed in a highly competitive environment without investments in the years to come. Demanding projects await us, but only if they are brought under control will firms have a chance of breaking out of the cut-rate economy trap and avoiding a drop in profit margins.
we aim to launch the Relax range onto the market; the first will be from a collection of products, called the Fashion Line, focussing on leisure time. The Development and Innovation Centre of Modularity is to be involved in the development of new lines and the timely execution of demanding projects. The 21st century will be a century of digitization, of sharing individual and local solutions, and of the circular economy. Modularity is constituent to these trends. The Development and Innovation Centre of Modularity aims to connect these ideas with capacities for providing space for the School of Modularity. In the autumn Bulletin we will devote more attention to this.
I began my foreword reflecting on our mission so I will conclude it in the same spirit. Only economic development and prosperity are able to generate the resources from which companies may assist less fortunate people. The economic prosperity of firms also helps employees on This year we plan to complete the con- their paths to self-actualization. We are struction of the Development and Inno- facing major challenges and we are prevation Centre of Modularity where we will pared to resolve them. I am very grateful undertake advanced preparation of de- to you for your continuing support and for manding projects required by the market the stimuli that you provide as we push such as multi-floor modular buildings or us forward. I also thank our staff who help design rooms for leisure time. This year our new visions materialize.
→ Stanislav Martinec
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CITY Modules Help
CITY modules are not only designed to function as corporate presentation venues at special events, they are also used by charities or in support of various associations to help educate the public. “Welcome cordially” was one of the first events where these modules were prominently featured. In 2014, during an event on Masaryk Square in Ostrava, visitors could participate in interactive meetings with representatives of minority groups. Visitors passed through six rooms contained in two CITY modules and, in each room, they could discuss themes with representatives of various groups. Veronika Pražanová, the originator of this project, remarks, “The visitor, a passer-by, enters the room and becomes a member of the minority group where the inhabitants of the room speak with the visitor in their native language. The visitor is directly confronted
with their intellectual and aesthetic cultural diversity, and they can understand the feelings minority groups experience within our society much better.” The project is supposed to foster a better understanding of the issues of migration and humanity to dominant social groups within society. The project was subsequently moved from Ostrava to Berlin. Another visible project, where CITY modules assisted in public education, was the Thorough Breast Monitoring campaign, which draws our attention to the importance of prevention in the fight against breast cancer. One aspect of this campaign, while in 2015 and 2016 CITY modules moved through busy downtown areas in Prague and Brno, was the Wall of Breasts and a practical demonstration on how to pre-
CITY Modules Help ← ↓ Thorough Breast Monitoring campaign
↑ SDÍLKO ← A Cordial Welcome
vent fatal consequences of breast cancer. Many people were surprised to be informed that, not only does this malignant disease affect women, it also affects men. A particularly poignant experience was a meeting of visitors and women from the Alliance of Women with Breast Cancer, who confided their stories. In one of the CITY modules there was a plaster room where women could have plaster mouldings made of their own breasts; the aforementioned Wall of Breasts comprised these mouldings. This was only one element of a much larger campaign carried out in various cities across the Czech Republic and also abroad. For more, please see www.ostresledovanaprsa.cz. SDÍLKO (a Czech acronym) or “A SHARED CONTAINER” by Štěpánka Vontrobová was another interesting project associated with the CITY modules.
The SDÍLKO is a pop-up shop, an exposition and an office all in one. It could be seen in the centre of Kopřivnice in the pedestrian zone during summer of 2015. Events took place there every day for two weeks. Štěpánka says, “We want to create a space for local and Czech activities, brands, designers and artists. At the same time, we are trying to bring more life into the city centre, which is only a pedestrian zone. In such a small city, big things can happen.” This activity drew the interest of city administrators from Ostrava-Poruba. Bi-annually, since 2016, they have set up a space for craftsmen and the self-employed from the Ostrava surroundings.
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Good Pastor for People on the Fringes of Society
There is a man who has not been hung up on ideas, but has rather taken action. With the participation of other people of good will, he was out to refurbish the deteriorating monastery in Kláštor pod Znievom, a small Slovakian community. He established a facility for people who had been forgotten by society. We are speaking of Father Vladimír Maslák, an inspiring priest and a humble man of God from the Good Pastor Association, who we interviewed.
that is the Association’s staff and myself as a priest, we have been trying to help for twelve years. It is a complex array of social assistance services, which consist of a shelter for disadvantaged men, the temporary home (for example, for orphans from children’s homes and other facilities), and retirement homes in Kláštor pod Znievom. The Good Pastor Association administers a shelter for underprivileged women in Vrícko and care service facilities for people who need help in Kláštor pod Znievom and Nitrianske Pravno. → You have been helping people with diffi- The premises of the ancient Our Lady’s Mocult life stories for many years now. Could nastery in Kláštor pod Znievom became suiyou please tell our readers who the peo- table for establishing a new home for the ple targeted for help are? homeless or for people in extreme need. The Good Pastor Association, based in Kláštor pod Znievom, provides social- → What was an impetus for you to provide -service facilities for those who need aid to these people? help: people without shelter or resour- It is very easy to preach from the altar ces, the elderly, and the sick. Together, about how so many saints helped the
Good Pastor for People on the Fringes of Society
poor; I am not only a preacher of goodwill, I should put my words into action every day. I wish to follow my Lord. He came to help everybody and that makes sense to me, so I am trying to do that as well. I can say they transform into different people. They once again regain control over their actions and rekindle relationships with their close relatives. Now they become reliable. I see a destiny in everyone, for which it makes sense to fight. Although the difficult misfortunes of their lives, pain, worry, and suffering, are all intertwined in this shelter, the homeless have found their home with us, those suffering from addictions have found adoption, the sick have recovered, and the lonely have found community. The fact is that society, sometimes rightly so, look upon these people very critically. I would sacrifice my own life for them; to me, they are strong individuals. We often
have no idea about people in need. It is an irreplaceable feeling to have, or at least to be able to come to terms with the real poverty of a man and to be able to help him. People suffering from addictions live with many hardships; they need to participate in community life, to be employed, to have a home, and they need someone to help them carry their heavy crosses. To use the words of Mother Teresa: people, who need our help, enrich us at the same time. → While staying with you at the residence, work is used for therapeutic purposes. Is it common that this work experience leads to future employment? I always ask each of them what they want to do and what they are able to do. After they relearn a good working ethic, we offer them the possibility of professional certification and training. Many of them work in healthcare or as drivers. We offer
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welding courses and also Alpine dairyman courses are taught in our training facility. These people receive a certificate and they can find work. → Can you tell us why your organisation is called “The Good Pastor”? The evangelical image of the Good Pastor has a deep meaning. The pastor takes lambs in his arms; in fact he favours those that have been lost or led astray. The Jesus Christ’s example as a Good Pastor is portrayed in virtually all social-service facilities and places of assistance for the poor, the elderly, the ill or the broken in body or spirit. He is a beacon for us as well. → You help men and women with both genders living separately. The modules were given by KOMA MODULAR provide
a shelter allowing couples to live together. How do they like their accommodations? In our facility we have currently four married couples. We were seeking a solution that would allow them to live together. This opportunity through KOMA MODULAR seems to be the best way and I would like to offer my cordial thanks. → Do you know that the modules were formerly a part of our EXPO 2015 pavilion in Milan where they served as a restaurant kitchen? Yes, I did know that. Today I can say that the people are able to be re-socialized and it happens with the help of these modules. I am very happy about the cooperation with KOMA MODULAR. I can see that this is the right approach here. At present, further cooperation continues and new
Good Pastor for People on the Fringes of Society
is for people who have not been given so much in life as others have. It is a shelter for those who did not appreciate what they had and, unfortunately, lost it and have had to discover it again. For a human being, relationships, a family – these are what have value in life. We help each other → That is very kind of you, thank you! Our here. A human being is only that which interview is approaching the end. Just stands before God, nothing more. The one more important question, where do poor need the rich for their survival and you find so much love and understan- the rich need the poor to open the gates ding? to the heaven. Greetings to all readers, What has been created in Kláštor pod God bless them. Znievom is the work of God. It represents one of the greatest facilities in Slovakia Thank you for the interview and for eveproviding social services for poor pe- rything you do for others. We wish you ople. It is evidence that where there is an abundance of strength in your other a will, there is a way. If a man uses all of worthy activities. God’s gifts, he can continue along the rigorous road with God’s blessings if he is filled with trust. The Good Pastor shelter orders are being contracted. It is a pity that we are not closer; those who produce the modules would be rewarded with our good Slovak cheese products. Every day we would be serving them gnocchi with sheep cheese and roasted mutton.
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We do what we love and love what we do.
Bulletin
A Multi-level Kindergarten for 100 Children — Jihlava, Czechia
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Integration with Entertainment
Integration with Entertainment
CONSTRUCTION INFO No. of modules 38 Production time 2 weeks Construction time 2 weeks Functional area 670 m2
We delivered modules for the construction of a low threshold centre, which forms a part of the Starlet Park in Brno. The building is situated in the problematic locality of Cejl in Brno, very close to the Museum of Romany Culture. Within the park, the centre serves as a facility for extracurricular activities of Romany teenagers and for the social integration of the Romany community. It is operated by various non-profit organisations. The park with the modular Starlet building is a place where various festivals are organised such as the Ghettofest, for example. It is a street festival held in this overlooked locality, nicknamed the Brno Bronx. It is a unique socio-cultural concept created specifically for this locale. We are pleased that our modules also help to open the boundaries of this imaginary ghetto in the minds of the other Brno inhabitants and support natural interactions and living together in one place. Babylonfest, a festival of Brno minorities, is another similar event.
Modular construction was chosen with consideration given to the event’s temporary nature, the financial limitations of the investor, and also the possibility of moving individual modules to another location. Of course, the very short production and installation time for such modular structures is a key element. The architects, Robert Sládeček and Radko Květ, divided the building into two floors where children and teenagers from the wide surrounding area can find various types of self-realization. The building is surrounded by a park suitable for sports and relaxation, thus, it offers a wide array of leisure activities to the visitors of the centre. The colours of the centre’s walls were chosen during art workshops. In this way, the investor offered users the ability to modify the modules visually according to their tastes. The modules came into being offering great potential to the whole community of Cejl.
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In Spare Time into the Module
CONSTRUCTION INFO No. of modules 6 Production time 1 week Construction time 2 weeks Functional area 160 m2
At the end of January 2016, the Centre of Leisure Time was ceremoniously opened in Brno-Medlánky. The aim for establishing such a centre was conceived long ago in the minds of representatives of the Citizens for Medlánky Movement, but there were many questions to be answered: where to place it, how to finance it, what should it look like, and what functions should it incorporate? The plan gained true form in 2014. The representatives agreed on a modular construction and found a suitable locality for installation. It was followed by a project order and financial resources were sought out. The building is intended to serve inhabitants of Medlánky in particular, from children to
seniors. It has been built with the help of modular design from six StandardLine series residential modules. It is fitted with an elegant wooden Thermowood façade, a wooden staircase, and a wooden pergola. Large windows and doors ensure the ideal illumination of interior. The centre is used by hobby clubs; it has 2 rooms with the first being 30 m2 and the second 49 m2. There are two changing rooms, one room for baby carriages, one technical room, a warehouse, and three lavatories. One of the lavatories is wheelchair accessible. The public can also make use of the large 53m2 terrace and the 1370 m2 garden for outdoor activities.
In Spare Time into the Module
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Small Modular Town as a Health and Security Centre
Small Modular Town as a Health and Security Centre
CONSTRUCTION INFO No. of modules 35 Production time 2 weeks Construction time 3 weeks Functional area 627 m2
In Carlsbad a unique project arose with a contribution from us – the Health and Security Centre. The basic idea of the centre is to concentrate on prevention and preparation for children in situations of risk. Here, the prevention of child mishaps is realised in form of practical training on simulators. In the centre, you can find a scaled-down version of the town incorporating a special traffic playground where thematic scale houses are placed, e.g. a station for joint rescue services, a family house, a police station, an imitation of a burning house, and a small hospital with an ambulance. Each of these buildings has a specific concept and equipment for the simulation of various risk situations. The aim is to increase security, general awareness and the preparation of inhabitants for usual risks connected with everyday life, but also for extraordinary events and crisis situations
and the related elimination of injuries, loss of life or property, and environmental damage. The Health and Security Centre has been running since 2015 and, since that time, it has welcomed more than 100,000 visitors. Among them have been delegations of rescue workers from Slovakia, Germany and Hungary, who came for inspiration. The scaled-down town was created with the help of KOMA modules. Variability, pace of construction and easy transportability to other places of installation were some of the features of KOMA products which convinced EUROVIA CS to use them to build this centre. The education centre project shows us additional advantages in the usage of modular design – in this case the ability to adapt the property for the simulation of specific crisis situations.
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Another New School in 7 Weeks
CONSTRUCTION INFO No. of modules 123 Production time 3 weeks Construction time 4 weeks Functional area 2240 m2
Central Italy was hit by a destructive earthquake in 2009, which left a footprint still visible today. We also helped residents cope with the aftermath back then. In a record time of 7 weeks after placing the order, we delivered a 22-classroom modular school to accommodate nearly 600 children. In spite of having to meet the high demands in stability, fire safety, hygiene standards, and price accessibility, this short time was sufficient for us to set up for production, manufacture the modules, transport them to Italy and
assemble them so the children from the Italian town of L´Aquila, which had been destroyed by the earthquake, could begin their school year on time. In 2016 this region was hit by another earthquake with further damages. But our modular school withstood the intense tremors without any damage. Modular constructions not only help resolve similar crisis situations, more over, they are resistant, flexible, and quick.
Another New School in 7 Weeks
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The Future Relies on Helping Others.
Bulletin
Housing for Partners in Need — Kláštor pod Znievom, Slovakia
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Rental Kindergarten Late in October 2019, a new kindergarten classroom in Měšice was put into operation. The total capacity of the original kindergarten was increased from the 52 to 76 places. Thanks to this capacity increase, it was possible, for the first time since 2008, to admit all registered children. In the past, about 20 children had been passed over annually due to the lack of capacity. The detached kindergarten building includes a classroom, sanitary facilities for 24 children, auxiliary rooms for teachers, and a fully equipped lunch counter for heating and serving meals. The meals themselves will be delivered by a catering company as the kitchen capacity in the pre-existing kindergarten building is not sufficient to feed the new class. As for the implementation, it is a temporary building assembled from building containers that the community has rented
from KOMA RENT. The interior equipment is a product of cooperation between architects and the Director, Ms. Pokorná, who contributed her long-term practical experience. Despite the temporary nature of the building (3 years), we dedicated maximum attention to the interior. From the children’s perspective, three years is their entire kindergarten career. Therefore, we invited an esteemed animator and illustrator of children books, Mr. Lukáš Urbánek, to liven the entire space up with pictures of flying angels. These serve as guides for the children as they take part in given activities, e.g. personal hygiene, painting, reading, putting on shoes, etc.
→ KOMA RENT
Rental Kindergarten
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Modular Systems as Crisis Management for Humanitarian Aid Many people over the world live healthier and safer lives in prosperity. Despite this progress, the demand for humanitarian aid is extremely high. It is estimated that there are 206.4 million people in 81 countries in dire poverty. The record number of people who have been forced to leave their homes is increasing by on-going military conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Moreover, the crises are lengthy, and natural disasters such as droughts and floods in Afghanistan and Sudan have destroyed the lives of people who are vulnerable. Nine out of ten countries with the most vulnerable populations face forced expatriation – the trend in increasing numbers of these refugees
has been on-going for seven years and, in 2018, it reached the number of 70.8 million. International humanitarian aid from governments and also from private donors reached 28.9 billion USD in the same year, which represents an increase of roughly one third since 2014. Emergency plans and assistance activities, in the cases of war or nature disaster, consist of immediate and long-term solutions. Ensuring shelter and medical assistance are of the highest priority in these cases. Modular systems – thanks to advantages such as timeliness, flexibility, and variability – provide suitable solutions to acute needs. From temporary housing, rescue and medical buildings to sanitary units and schools – modules are
Modular Systems as Crisis Management for Humanitarian Aid
used for all these purposes. The United Nations, one of the largest international providers of humanitarian assistance in the world, spent $585.5 mil. for the purchase of prefabricated buildings in 2018. Of this number, nearly one half ($230 mil.) was used for housing purposes, and $76.5 mil. were used to secure timely humanitarian assistance. The main suppliers are from Italy, France, and Norway. Modules are used to create entire refugee camps, often called “container towns”. One of the biggest camps is the Zaatari Refugee Camp in Jordan, which absorbed nearly 100,000 refuges in the two years following the outbreak of the Syrian crisis. Due to repeated episodes of refugees flooding to Europe, we can find tempora-
ry and also stationary modular reception centres in countries of the European Union as well. Our KOMA MODULAR system is one of the systems used. From 2012 to 2015, KOMA built more than 400 social flats for refugees in Germany. In 2017, KOMA was one those granted a tender for mobile modular buildings in the value of 30 mil. EUR for hotspots in Italy, Greece and other EU countries. The tender was organised by the European Asylum Support Office with the aim of helping such member countries of the EU whose asylum and acceptance system had been put under extraordinary pressure during the time of the culminating refugee crisis. → KOMA AUSTRIA
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Social Housing in Nitra
Social Housing in Nitra
In 2009, KOMA SLOVAKIA built a container rental house for people in emergency need in the Slovakian town of Nitra. Twenty-eight families, who were, up to that time, without shelter, found housing in small flats. Nitra, as the investor, chose solid-fuel heating to prevent energy waste over time. The building has two floors with exterior passages. The immediate needs of socially underprivileged citizens are resolved through quick modular construction. This also satisfies needs very well due to the moderate financial costs.
Logically, the timeliness and financial benefits are especially important with these implementations. The disadvantaged gain a comfort that they could scarcely afford on their own. This is obviously the biggest added value in these implementations. The whole building continues to serve its purpose to the present day.
→ KOMA SLOVAKIA
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Together for Better or Worse.
Bulletin
Separate Studios for the Mentally Disabled — Franeker, Netherlands
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The In-the-Dark Café with a New Face
Our modules have also helped projects such as the Travelling In-the-Dark Café for the Firefly Foundation. It is a case of a unique concept of a fully darkened café in which guests are served by visually impaired personnel. It has been in operation since 2006 and it brings the life of the blind a little closer to the sighted. You can experience how those of us who rely on the senses of hearing and touch are oriented; you can fully depend on them as they move through the space
in absolute darkness. Visitors, who have never experienced it, can have a taste of the life of the visually impaired. The proceeds from the café are donated to assist children and adults with seriously visual disabilities. The In-the-Dark Café gained a new, modular and mobile face during the spring and summer of 2019; we were the ones who went for it. Thanks to the flexibility of modules and their interchangeability, the café can be assembled from two or more mo-
The In-the-Dark Café with a New Face
dules, with a running roof as a terrace, or without it. It depends only on the given case whether the café is to be installed for only a couple of days or longer at the desired location. The café was introduced to visitors in its new form for the first time in June, on Republic Square in Prague. From 2020 it is also to replace the darkened bus, which had been crossing towns throughout Czechia. A young artist, Adéla Bačová, from our company designed the café’s new fe-
ature; the interior was equipped by IKEA. For the first time visitors can also use the exterior terrace, which offers a larger space for accompanying programs. The café has been introduced at several events so far. One of them is the International Festival of Documentary Films in Jihlava, where it was assembled from only two modules, without the terrace and staircase.
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KOMA is Here for Whole the World
For several years we, together with Diaconia of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, have been helping in places where there is a need through a humanitarian project we call KOMA for the World . Diaconia, The Centre for Cooperation on Humanitarian Issues and Development, puts people back on their feet, whereas we put up buildings. Why not join forces? In various foreign countries where Diaconia is active, we collaborate and build. Our aim is to help local organisations and entities to be able to develop their activities, to be more autonomous, and to be more
independent from outside assistance. We not only want to sell, we want to do it without creating dependency. As part of our project, we want to strengthen the element of responsibility within selected organisations and subjects so that they are able to provide long-term, high-quality services and support particular people in particular locations. In 2015 we, together with Diaconia, began assisting in Ukraine with our aid. This was the beginning of our common path. The first project was The Centre for Mothers with Children near Kiev, which we formally handed over to
KOMA is Here for Whole the World
↓ Meeting with Farmers
↑ Centre for Mothers with Children in Ukraine
the local administration on January 20, 2016. Also, two buildings were erected for the Father’s House organisation, which provide accommodation for families from regions of conflict in eastern Ukraine. Another project we decided to undertake was a project for Moldavian farmers who are trying to develop small businesses in one of the most unspoilt countries in Europe. As there are no specialised shops for the distribution of ecological foodstuffs, our company provided a modular shop within the framework of this humanitarian
project. The owner of this building is the non-profit organisation, Pro Cooperare Regionala, with which Diaconia cooperates in Moldavia and, together with KOMA AUSTRIA, supervises the sustainability of the whole project. We are glad that we can help. But this is one of beauties of life – to lend a helping hand to people in need and to know that their lives can be turned around for the better. We will definitely carry on with these activities!
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Modularity Improving and Saving Lives What does the word, modularity, word mean? In general, modularity represents an assembly – a building block concept. In each field, methods are sought to make products more perfect and to accelerate and make production more efficient. Today, modularity is applied in many fields, mainly in mechanical engineering, the automotive industry, the computer industry, and so on. Basically, it is being applied in each progressive branch. The assembly of final products from modules results in a natural increase in productivity. In civil engineering, modular design is a method where the majority of activities are moved to production halls and where large-capacity modules are prepared. They are produced in such a way as to ensure that their subsequent installation at a location is as quick and as efficient as possible.
Production is not influenced by unpredictable weather and it does not disturb the surroundings with dust and noise. In fields where the assembly of products from modules is dominant, productivity increases rapidly. The attached chart shows the differences in labour productivity in various fields and in civil engineering in the United States. In comparison with the year 1950, the productivity in manufacturing areas in the USA has increased by 8.6 times whereas, in civil engineering, it is maintained the same level for decades. According to global research, the prognoses for the development of modular constructions forecasts that, during the next five years, the global output of modular buildings is to double. Currently, developers, as well as towns and the general public, are calling for
Modularity Improving and Saving Lives
increased activities in construction, e.g. dwellings. Modular constructions are precisely the answer to the lack of building capacities and the slow pace of erecting new structures. All one needs to do is to open one’s mind to modular design as an efficient, quick, high quality, and, moreover, beautiful architectural solution. Modular design can even save lives in many cases. For example, when setting up temporary housing for people who have lost their homes due to natural disasters or war conflicts, timeliness is a decisive factor. Recently, modular design has shown its advantages in China
where it made the construction of hospitals for thousands of patients exposed to coronavirus possible. However, for this solution to work, it was prerequisite for the government have modules at its disposal rather than issuing tenders and ordering the production of new modules. Both examples show how important it is for government representatives to take modular design into account very seriously. Only in this way, will all possibilities be evident in the time of need, and modular construction can manifest its advantages to the people.
Gross value added per hour worked (while maintaining constant prices) Index: 100=1947
Annual growth rate (1947–2010) Agriculture Production Wholesale and retail Total economy Mining industry Construction industry
Total growth
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Kindergartens Are Important
If we agree on the fact that serenity is also an aspect of contentment in life, we can also agree that a part of that serenity is the possibility to place children in pre-schools so that mothers, aside from their parental duties, can engage in personal development. Keeping in mind that the education of our children results in financial costs, we have to face up to the fact that only a small percentage of households can exist on a single salary.
Our company put the first modular kindergarten in the Czech Republic into action in 2009 at Rychnov u Jablonce. We utilised experiences from the constructions of modular school facilities abroad, where open-minded investors and town representatives naturally understand modular architecture to be one of the possibilities when erecting new buildings. Modular kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, and also universities
Kindergartens Are Important
are tailored to the requirements of architects, investors and indeed of users. Currently, we supply structures as temporary, movable or also permanent; economy and low-energy; single-classroom or multi-classroom; single-storey or multi-level schools; on green fields or as school extensions. Since we have been in the market, we have delivered a total of 97 school facilities – of that, 41 have been kindergartens. Within the Czech Republic,
in addition to the aforementioned school, we have supplied a further 22 kindergartens. That is to say, we have helped more than five thousand families put their children in kindergartens.
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Circular Construction for the Future of the Planet
On nice, sunny days, when Mother Nature offers the best of her beauty, very few people can resist taking advantage of it. A walk through forests, meadows or mountains with a view of the wide landscape is calming, but it also forces us to contemplate. Is the current societal direction, which is oriented to output and pleasure, the right way? Is it necessary to plunder the planet for things that we really do not need in life? And, when we are satisfying ourselves with the basic necessities, would it be possible to do it more sensitively? We live in wild times; more and more often nature shows us her dark side, and reports of natural disasters evoke waves
of emotion. And so the present trend is forcing ecological viewpoints. We also have a stake in the trend. We will be glad if a view to ecology becomes the standard as soon as possible. Therefore, we put the principles of circular economy into practice, and circular construction arising out of that. We strive to make sure that the single basic human need, namely a roof over one’s head, is satisfied responsibly, that resources are not needlessly wasted, and that materials used for a building can be reused repeatedly in the future. As the circular economy thinks of the future re-utilisation of materials, it prevents the generation of waste at the same time. In this regard,
Circular Construction for the Future of the Planet
it is ahead in comparison to traditional bricks-and -mortar construction. While the waste is separated thoroughly during production under controlled conditions, the conditions on building sites are not satisfactory. Waste is often put to waste wells or fills the dumps. As you probably know, modular design is friendly also thanks its smaller carbon footprint, lower human labour requirements, lower dust emissions, and reduced noise in the surroundings of the construction site. In any case, we would like to add one specific real-life example – a Mini Sky City 57-storey skyscraper with offices for 4,000 people found in the Chinese town
of Changsha. Employing a modular construction system, it was built in a mere 19 days and, according to investor calculations, it saved about 15,000 truck hauls to deliver building materials. In spite of the modular or circular fields being relatively young fields, they show great promise for the future of the planet and for mankind. Considering the development of new materials, it will only get better. We have no choice but to appeal to more open-minded people who care about the destiny of our planet and all that lives on it.
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Bulletin
To Help People and to Enrich the World.
300 Rooms for the Homeless — Paris, France
It Is Our Aim.
KOMA Bulletin — a periodical about modular architecture and the growth of the KOMA FAMILY group. #20
March 2020 Published by KOMA MODULAR s.r.o. Editorial Staff Martin Hart, Lucie Füchsová, Adéla Bačová, Stanislav Martinec, Martina Konecká, Lenka Sarauer, Ľuboslava Hreňová Photography Alexandr Hudeček, Julius Filip, Jiří Hroník Produced by KNOW HOW solutions s.r.o. → Text Editing Lukáš Měchura → Graphic Design and Typography Lucie Bindíková Printing House TRIKOLORA, s.r.o.