Zābaki Tree Nursery

Located within Gauja National Park, the renewed “Zābaki” tree nursery expands an existing facility into a cohesive ensemble inspired by the Latvian rural homestead. The complex was created around the already existing greenhouses and birch seedling fields comprising of new production, storage, and administrative buildings using local timber, glulam, and CLT structures integrated into the terrain. Simple timber cladding, left untreated, continues the traditions of Latvian rural architecture in a contemporary expression of material honesty and landscape integration.

The project aimed to efficiently expand the "Zābaki" tree nursery complex, situated in the Gauja National Park Nature Reserve Zone. This location demanded a sensitive approach, respecting nature and traditional Latvian rural wooden architecture. This drove the choice to use timber for all new building volumes. The core challenge and innovative experiment was the Warehouse, vital for storing seedlings. It was conceived as a "timber fridge". It was built with 180mm CLT walls and a ventilated roof, notably without supplementary insulation. This high-risk approach, developed with wood specialists, relies on the wood's inherent ability to regulate its own temperature and humidity. This approach was done with the involvement of timber specialists and scientists, and has already created new scientific documentation about the use of timber in construction. The strategy achieved integration by forming a compact, cohesive complex. The buildings further blend in with extensive green roofs.

The superstructure is primarily formed from load-bearing glued laminated timber (glulam) trusses and Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels for walls and roof decks. Foundations and support walls are made of reinforced concrete. Exteriors are clad in untreated softwood boards. Interiors feature exposed CLT and polished concrete floors. Sustainability issues are resolved through several systems: a heating plant utilizing wood chips or pellets , electricity generated by solar panels on the cool store roof , and extensive green roofs over the partially recessed Administration and Production buildings. Rainwater is collected for irrigation. Maintenance simplicity is achieved by leaving all engineering systems—cables, pipes, and ventilation ducts—exposed (finished in black or white) , ensuring visual clarity and ease of access for inspection and repair. The high durability of the CLT structure and polished concrete flooring further contributes to low long-term maintenance needs.