2019

The Smart Tree Exposition Opening in Tērvete

The Latvian Forest Days are to take place already at the end of this week - on 24 and 25 May. On the first day of the event, schoolchildren are invited to come together in Tērvete, while on the second day, nature friends and families will have an opportunity to get to know and indulge in more than 80 forest cognitive adventures in the newest part of the Latvia’s State Forest Nature Park in Tērvete - the Land of Kurbads. There will be a number of different challenges, surprises and a lot of fun!

One of such adventures will take place at the entrance of LVM Nature Park in Tērvete on 25 May (11:00), when the exposition of modern wooden structures “Smart Tree” (Viedais koks) will literally open up in front of the visitors. The black board façade will automatically split into four sections, creating a surreal view and revealing four types of wooden structures that can actually be used for the construction of wooden houses.

The authors of the exhibition are architects Rūdis Rubenis and Ritvars Krastiņš, who demonstrate modern ways for using wood in construction. The aim of the project is to show that a cosy, Latvian wooden house can be modern, contemporary and smart.

“We put the traditional wooden barn in a modern façade of burnt boards without windows and doors, equipped with an automatic rail opening mechanism that splits the house model into four parts. When the building opens, it shows a comfortable courtyard overlooking four types of wooden structures that can be used in construction: wooden frames, log beams, connector sets, cross-glued wood panels,” says one of the authors Rūdis Rubenis.

The authors of the modern wood exhibition “Smart Tree” invites everyone interested to look and feel their work exploring the advantages of wood as a construction material. Wood is a lighter material, it can be assembled faster, more conveniently and quietly; it is an economic and ecological material. At a time when environmental issues are worsening in the world, wood offers an opportunity to significantly reduce resource consumption in the construction of buildings.

Other activities and opening events will also be held on 24 and 25 May within the framework of the Latvian Forest Days, and they are open to both the participants of the competitions below as well as to anyone interested.

The Latvian Forest Days are organised by JSC “Latvia's State Forests” in cooperation with Tērvete Municipality Council, the Latvian Forest Owners Association, the Latvian Wood Industry Federation and Association “Zaļās mājas”. In 2018, the Latvian Forest Days took place for the first time in LVM Nature Park in Tērvete, bringing together around 12 000 people. The entrance is free.