Black Slavonian Eco Pig Farm
THE BLACK SLAVONIAN PIG IS AN AUTOCHTHONOUS CROATIAN BREED THAT WAS DECLARED ENDANGERED IN THE 1990s.
Eco farm built to the highest environmental standards
The Black Slavonian pig is an autochthonous Croatian breed that was declared endangered in the 1990s. One of the first breeders to return to the rearing of this neglected breed was a small company from Donji Miholjac.
The brief called for the construction of an eco-farm built to the highest environmental standards. In addition, it was necessary to foresee a potential future expansion of the farm, and the master plan proposes 2 identical complexes.
The building was primarily designed by optimizing function.
Typically, this type of building is a single-storey structure with animal enclosures and a central corridor used for feeding animals, spreading bedding, and removing manure. Right next to the stable space, it is necessary to have a straw storage area for bedding.
By eliminating the corridor and creating a gallery that serves for bedding storage in addition to providing access to the pens, the use of space was rationalized and the process optimized, while also eliminating the need for bedding transport.
The elimination of the corridor was preceded by the introduction of movable partitions, which allowed for easier maintenance, but also created different scenarios for using the facility in which spaces decrease and increase; from the smallest pen for a sow with piglets to a common space for all animals.
By summarizing all the stated parameters and respecting the proportions of humans, animals, and machinery, a cross-section with a gable roof was created. The resulting pitched roof surfaces are offset at the ridge, allowing for additional lighting and ventilation of the bedding storage on the gallery.
When selecting materials, an important factor was the resistance of elements in direct contact with the animals. Concrete and galvanised steel partitions were chosen for the base, above which are the timber structure and the ventilation zone, with clay tiles as the roof covering.
Apart from bare function, the appearance of the buildings is conditioned by the context, which is evident in the geometry and roof covering, as well as in the material and treatment of the building’s facades, but also in the desire for the buildings to remain in the spirit of the Slavonian rural ambience on a human and animal scale.
The project was completed in 2019 and constructed in 2021.
